Maelstrom Effect: Crimson Hope
by godospartan the Kitsune
Summary: Shepard, a War hero Infiltrator born on Earth, is chosen to become the first Human Spectre, but she is not alone. Even though his entire squad got killed under his command, one, Naruto Uzumaki, born on Earth, has been noticed by Nihlus as Spectre material as well. Will Naruto's Biotics be enough to ensure his entry to the Spectres? Red/Powerful Biotic NarutoXTali/FemShepXGarrus
1. Uzumaki and Shepard, Ready for Duty!

Hello everyone. My name is Godospartan, and I am here to bring a NEW crossover to you. This is a Mass Effect and Naruto crossover.

I am sure you all have seen this kind of thing before... 77 stories of this in fact, but I guarantee you it will be somewhat original, as original as I can make it. Trust me, and give it a try.

Also, here with me is Arch-Daishou, a good friend, Beta of Naruto Hellsing, and CO-writer of this story, Care to say a few words?

**Arch-Daishou:** Yo! This should an interesting twist to the game we all know and love. Hope you all enjoy this tale and take the first step along with us. Hope you enjoy!

Merry Christmas, and let us begin this wondrous new story...

**XxX xXx XxX**

In a darkened room, with a table casting light above it with pictures and files of history showing the onlookers what they want to see, three human men stood in determination on who they would choose to present as their best hope in furthering humanity in the universe. Alongside them was one Turian, the one charged with helping choose based on all requirements for the status that was above anything Humans gained so far?

One File showed up in particular amongst the rest. A man in a white suit and a static demeanor spoke first. "Well, what about Shepard? Earthborn... No relatives of any kind..."

Another man beside him in blue military dress uniform shrugged. "She doesn't have any. She grew up on the streets, ran with gangs for a while. Learned how to fend for herself."

Another man in military uniform was straighter forward, a calculating eye and authoritative stance. "She proved herself during the Blitz. She held off ground forces until reinforcements could come in full circle."

The first man in uniform nodded. "That's the reason Elysium is still even colonized and prospering. Well Councilor Udina?"

Udina, the man in white, put his hand up to his chin. "We can't question her courage, that's for sure."

The Turian walked up and looked to the first man in uniform. "Captain Anderson, you've also got one more candidate that has everything we are looking for."

Anderson looked to the Turian. "What do you mean, Nihlus? This is a war hero, and it's not just for show either."

Nihlus scaled the files to another candidate, and Udina nearly choked. "Him! You must be joking, he doesn't have any particular talent that you require in the Spectres, and he got his whole team killed on Akuze! Hackett, You know he isn't worthy of this honor."

Hackett, the man with authoritative stature, hummed at this. "It's true, he was unable to help any of his team escape Akuze. He was found as the only survivor, I wouldn't be surprised if he has major emotional scars. But Anderson knows best about that..."

Anderson nodded and looked at the file. "Naruto Uzumaki, elite covert operative of N7. Same level and rank as Emily Shepard... Whilst Emily is more technical and tactical in a defensive position, Naruto is a wide user of power in offense, with incredible power to boot. Besides, all soldiers carry scars like that, but that is exactly why he is useful, he is a survivor. We found him as a baby in the wreckage of Detroit, so there is no question about his ability to survive, even through impossible odds."

Udina scoffed. "Is that the kind of man we want protecting the Galaxy?"

Anderson looked to Nihlus. "Probably the only kind of person who CAN protect the Galaxy. He was even the leader of the gang Emily was in. When we finally caught him, he surrendered to us if we made sure not to harm his gang."

Nihlus used his Omni-tool to make a copy of each file. "Both sound considerably talented in their own rights, and both show up every requirement the Spectres give. Even the guidelines we keep secret... With your permission, I would like to put forward BOTH names for consideration."

That caught the three humans off guard. Not only was a Turian putting names forth for a high privilege position, but a Turian SPECTRE who was willing to make two humans into specters at once. Turian's and Humans were always tense after the First Contact War for the humans, and never got along in large groups of each other, so this came as a huge surprise.

Anderson turned to Nihlus. "Why would you put both names forward?"

Nihlus smiled. "Because I think they are BOTH ready to become Spectres. Being human has nothing to do with it. I will have to talk to my fellow Spectres about them both, but I have every confidence that they will agree with me."

Nihlus turned and left to do just that. As he did, Anderson and Hackett, along with Udina looked over both files again. Hackett hummed at them. "I can understand Shepard, being one to never give up, a strong soldier with a mind for tactical advantage, but not Naruto. Even if his Biotics are unmatched, even by Asari standards, He let his whole team be killed in the attack on Akuze."

Anderson disagreed. "But you forget, he owned up to his failure without any evidence he was the one responsible for their deaths. Any leader worth their salt would feel that the blood of their dead comrades is on their hands for making a bad call, but we don't know the full story of what happened on the ground."

Udina sighed. "Still. If we just go by his pre-service history, he is no different than Shepard. Both were in a gang, and both willingly joined the alliance to serve for the good of the Galaxy. Shepard defended a planet single-handed until help arrived, and all we know is Naruto was strong willed enough and smart enough to survive on Akuze, even after the horrible things that happened to his squad."

Hackett shut the table's data screen off. "A survivor and a war hero, both could meet expectations. Naruto sure has in his own way. Both are close, and whenever they are put together, even the most impossible mission becomes possible. Their tactics together are something else, so having both in the same squad and status would be cliché, but also something very good for the Alliance, as well as Humanity. Nothing thrown their way when they become Spectres will be left standing. Hell, nothing is left standing anyway even when they are both commanders."

Udina nodded. "You have a point... We will send them both, then. Captain Anderson, get the new Frigate ready to leave. When Nihlus and the Council make their final decision, we should have a ship worthy of the test being done up to speed."

Anderson saluted and went off to do just that. Hackett started to leave as well, leaving Udina in thought. "_Now, how to further this without complications. We are already having trouble with Spectre status as is, after Anderson's screw up years ago, but if we succeed this time, maybe we can get on the Citadel Council earlier..._"

**XxX A Week Later XxX**

A young man with spiky blonde hair was yawing as he was walking through Arcturus Station, a bag of his clothes slung over his back. He was told only to bring basic essentials, no armor or weapons as they would be provided for him.

On his chest was his name tag that said his name proudly, Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto was ordered to take a flight from Earth to Arcturus only a day ago, and it took nearly four hours ago just to arrive, and there were no sleep pods in that ship. So he was thoroughly exhausted. Besides, there was no reason to stand ready for an attack on him in the halls of a human station in space, it wasn't like the Turian's wanted war again.

As he walked through the halls, he seen a familiar face, and almost went from sagging on the floor to bouncing off the walls as he rushed to the person he saw, walking the same way as him, but slower. "EMILY!"

The person he called turned around to see who was calling her, and she smiled, stopping and turning to see him. Her brown hair with a tint of red long enough to reach the top of her back, and her brown eyes kind but firm. "Hey, long time no see, Naruto."

Naruto smiled as he stood straight and proud. "Man, it's been forever. A year ago you were sent off to oversee a squad retaking Mindior. How did it go?"

Emily sighed and looked down sadly. "We couldn't... The Batarian slavers are held in there tight, not to mention some stupid gang sprouted up called the Blue Suns. It's a hellhole. We managed to save twenty enslaved people, mostly young women. They are still pigs."

Naruto put his hand on her shoulder and gently pulled her into a hug, Emily burying her head in his chest as she hugged him back. "Hey, you did good. Saving a single person is way better than saving none. Remember how I felt after Akuze?"

Emily nodded and sighed, looking up at Naruto. "You have a point. Still doesn't get easier."

Naruto nodded at that and smiled. "But we move on and keep going forward. Isn't that what I always taught? I was on earth just recently, our old friends in the gang are doing very well for themselves, actually having great peaceful lives. Now come on, they wouldn't want my sister feeling useless for saving twenty slaves from a horrible future."

Emily chuckled at that and nodded, letting Naruto go and straightening up. "I only just got here myself. Was on the Citadel when they called me. Still an uptight place as usual."

Naruto looked puzzled. "Think they have another suicide mission for us?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "If we weren't together I would say the mission would be normal, but when have we ever been together in a mission and it not go straight to hell?"

Naruto nodded. "That means you have the same place and time to be at? In ten minutes I need to be at gate seven on floor five. That's a Frigate level."

Emily nodded as well and sighed. "Suicide mission on a Frigate. Go figure. Let's go, might as well humor them." She looked down in misery. "Hope it's nothing like the hell we had to deal with on Earth..."

Naruto looked down sadly, remembering every bloody moment of it all. He remembered his childhood, he and Emily being in a gang of kids just looking to survive and live happily. Being kids, they were always playful, but sometimes their pranks got others mad... This made him who he was today.

**XxX Seventeen years ago, Naruto: Age 12 Emily: Age 9 XxX**

Naruto smirked as he looked at the older man who is currently upside down, hanging from a rope. The older man glared daggers as he folded his arms.

"I am going to kill you one these days brat..." The man spoke in agitated tone.

The blond's smirk never faded as he folded his arms across his chest. "Serves you right for bringing drugs into my territory. This area is for kids and I won't have them knee deep in Red Sand. Tell Marcus to keep his drugs and people away from The Black Foxes."

The man scoffs. "Like you can fight Marcus. Boss will rip you apart and tear your little gang to pieces. Mark my words Naruto, The Black Foxes die today."

Leaning forward the blond smirks deepens. "Like to see you try, Finch."

Turning he walked away never looking back at the man cursing his name. Still, he could not shake the ominous feeling he felt since this morning. Shaking it off Naruto walks through the broken alleyway of old Detroit. Unlike the utopia above, with towering skyscrapers. The beacon of hope, while down below, the old world slowly becomes ruins that people want to forget.

And even more so for its poor or orphaned children.

Walking through the old warehouse district the blond made his way to the make shift home for him and his surrogate family.

**XxX xXx XxX**

"Come one guy's time for lunch!"

In a broken down warehouse eight children between six and twelve gather around a makeshift dining table a twelve year old Emily Shepard finished cooking lunch. Helping her getting the other kids to the table and put out plates a ten year girl with platinum blond hair in a ponytail with a single bang cover her left sapphire eye, wearing a slightly rough sundress. With her another ten year old girl with unique rosette colored hair and jade eyes, like her friend she also wears a tattered red sundress.

"Sakura, Ino, make sure everyone is ready and washed up okay?" Emily said bring out the large plate of food.

"Yes big sis!" the girls say in unison.

As she set the food down with two girls helping the younger kids, the warehouse doors open. Everyone grew tense until they looked over and faces' lit up with large smiles.

"NARUTO!"

Soon the blond in a black unzipped hoodie with a red shirt and black jeans is tackled by down by several kids in a hug. Emily chuckles while Ino sighed, Sakura ran over with a blush on her face. Looking down she sees the whiskered cheeked blond smiling back at her.

"Welcome home big brother." Sakura smiled. "Have fun today?"

Naruto smirked with his fox like grin. "Oh, seeing Finch flung around by rope was always entertaining."

Emily frowned. "Thought we told him and his Tenth Street Reds this is our territory?"

"Some idiots are too thick skulled to learn once. Luckily pranking his ass never gets old." Naruto chuckled at that, but smiled seriously.

Sakura sighed as she had the kids let go of their surrogate big brother and help him stand. "Honestly, Naruto, you need to be careful. The Tenth Street Reds are really dangerous."

Naruto smirks thoughtfully. Sakura never liked it when he fought against the other gangs. Mainly she just never wanted him hurt, she was just scared like everyone else. And he could never fault her for being afraid.

Her cheeks blush as he touches her shoulders and kisses her forehead. "I'll be fine little sister. I promised I'd always keep everyone save, I never break a promise."

However both turn cheery red in the cheeks hearing the other kids singing. "~Naruto and Sakura sitting in a tree. ~"

**XxX xXx XxX**

After both blond and rosette chase some of the kids half around the warehouse, everyone finally settled at the table to eat. The atmosphere is warm and loving with bright conversation and laughter. Mostly the younger kids listening to Naruto's tall tales of his pranks against the other gangs.

–Though Emily makes Naruto swear to keep things a PG rating -.

As everyone was finishing up the doors of the warehouse slammed open. Like the wind Naruto stood in front of the others as he growls seeing the intruders' before him.

"So this is the Black Fox Gang huh?" A man's voice spoke with mock sarcasm.

Emily quickly rounded the others behind her as Naruto clinched his fists. How the hell did they find them?! More importantly what the hell was he doing here? Standing arrogantly with that weasel Finch beside him, the leader of the Tenth Street Reds locks eyes with Naruto.

Marcus Cane, former alliance soldier who was discharged for misconduct of prisoners and drug possession. Least that is what the blond could dig up. Standing about 6'1 in height and in his late twenties, Marcus wears of all things a suit and tie, but with fingerless gloves. Well-built with short dirty blond hair, lit tan skin and grey eyes.

Those same eyes look at the make shift family with arrogance. "To think, the infamous Black Foxes were nothing more than brats. Have to say you know how to spin bullshit Naruto."

"It's a gift." The blond retorts.

Naruto eyes the windows outside the warehouse, he sees people, Reds most likely surrounding the place. "_Damn it! I can't get Emily and the others out of here._"

Marcus chuckled darkly. "Did you think you could not face the consequences of against fighting me Naruto? Now you get to see how I get rid of fleas."

"You have me Marcus let the others go." Naruto speaks up.

Finch scoffed. "Like hell we let them go! Piss off you whiskered cheeked brat! They get punished just like you!"

The children held to each other tightly with Ino, Sakura, and Emily safely around them. "Just leave us alone damn it!" Ino yelled out.

Marcus waved a chiding finger. "Tsk tsk, we all pay the piper. Now, Naruto let's see what you can do."

Taking a deep breath, he realized he could not hide it anymore. Even if his family hated or thought he was a monster.

In a heartbeat crimson ethereal-like flames cover Naruto's body as his eyes glow red. Soon the men surrounding the build are swept screaming into a swirling energy which throws them around like ragdolls that also ripped through the metal walls of the warehouse like butter.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Finch half squawks.

Marcus only smirks. "You're a Biotic. That explains a lot." "_But never seen anyone with this much power. This kid's a natural. But never seen red before, that's new._"

The girls along with the younger children watch in awe. Their big brother is a Biotic? However Emily and Sakura soon thought some pieces were fitting into place. There were things that happened around Naruto that just could not explain. Now it was making sense, Naruto is a Biotic.

As soon as Marcus's men hit the ground unconscious Naruto points his hand forward. The crime boss's instincts shine as he moves out of the way of a biotic throw which sent Finch flying into a wall of building with the force of a car. Lowering his hand his glowing eyes turn sharply to Marcus.

Neither the kids nor Naruto heard the shot. They only saw the smoking barrel of a pistol in that bastard's hand. Looking down the younger blond felt something warm. He saw a small hole in the left side of his chest, blood slowly pulsing from the wound. His head was spinning as he barely heard Sakura screaming.

Her body reacted on its own as she saw Naruto fall to his knees. Sakura caught him before he fell further. Holding him as tightly as she could she felt her eyes burn as tears fell from her eyes. The red glow faded as his cerulean eyes look almost blank.

Hearing footsteps she turned her head sharply seeing Marcus coming toward them. Stopping he towers over them with a sadistic smirk. Sakura, fearful as tears grew with fervor, just help her big brother as she closed her eyes, waiting for the end.

Just as Marcus was about to pull the trigger, he stopped, hearing a click right behind him. "That's enough Major Cane."

A deep rough male voice spoke as a pistol was pointed at the back of Marcus's head. Eyes widened as the children at a man in his forties, wearing an alliance uniform and cap. In his firm grip is the newest Raikou Pistol, the barrel at the center of the back of Marcus's skull. The said man was also wide eyed and paled.

"What the hell is the alliance doing here?" The older blond spoke with venom.

"None of your concern Major, now back away and take your men with you. Or my men will gladly put holes in your head."

Marcus snarled as he lowered his weapon. Of course he was not alone; no doubt snipers are in well placed positions on the high ground. Opening her eyes Sakura looks up at an angry Marcus.

Marcus growled a bit as his hushed voice promised a venomous end. "Tell your boyfriend. One way, or another, I will find him and kill him."

The rosette said nothing as she glared at a leaving murderer. Walking over the alliance man kneels down beside Sakura and unconscious Naruto. With his free hand the man check the blond's neck. Soon the other kids run up to them, all concerned with their beloved big brother.

Emily kneels beside the alliance man, "Please, will he be alright sir?"

The man looks at her and then to the crying rosette. "We need to get him to a hospital. And you all are coming with me."

**XxX xXx XxX**

Groaning Naruto slowly opened his eyes. Unfocused he rubbed his eyes as he slowly sits up. His cerulean eyes widened seeing that he is in a hospital room. A well cleaned and probably military by his guess. Looking down he sees the upper left half of his chest is bandaged up. But that was not what worried him.

"I see you're awake." A soft, yet firmly toned voice called.

Sharply turning his eyes widens seeing a man who he only read about. Average in height, at least in his forties, with a scar on the side of his face, wearing the Alliance uniform of a high ranking officer. His blue eyes gaze sternly at him

"Admiral Steven Hackett." Naruto nearly stuttered.

Nodding, the Admiral stands from his chair. "You heard of me son?"

The blond nods with a smile. "You're a legend, when you fought in the First Contact War with the Turians. I read up on everything I could find on you. I've been a fan of yours since I could remember. Admiral, where is my family?"

"The other children? They are currently being checked over by our physicians. Though we had to pry the girl with the pink hair off you." Hackett was almost ready to chuckle at that, but kept it together.

"Sakura… she was always protective of me." Naruto gave a soft chuckle and looked down at his hands.

A small coy smile curved at the side of the Admiral's lip. "You sure it's not love?"

Blushing, Naruto rubs the back of his head. "I know she does, but I only see her as my sister. That's how The Black Foxes were. Just a family."

Walking over to Naruto the old soldier pats his right shoulder. "I am impressed how you keep all of them together and protected. But being a biotic of your class, I see why."

Quickly the blond's eyes narrowed. "How did you know that...?" He whispered.

Hackett crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back a bit. "A soldier who lives in old Detroit. He saw your talents when dealing with some thugs. He never had seen the normal blue be red. You peaked my interests. I was coming to see you today and speak with you."

Naruto looked at him solemnly. "You want me in the alliance... Don't you?"

Hackett nodded, standing at attention. "Exactly. We have seen how powerful your Biotics are, especially as just a child, but like other Biotics, you run the risk of losing control. We can help you get that control. If we left you alone, and your Biotics went awry, you'd destroy what remains of Detroit's old homes and everyone in them still."

Naruto looked down at his hands, remembering how powerful he could be if he didn't try to keep a handle on himself. Whenever he used his Biotics, they always threatened to overwhelm him, use more than he wanted to use, so he had to hold back whatever he could and control, but it was straining him way too hard. He closed his eyes. "I won't join..."

Hackett put his hands on the bed railing, getting closer to Naruto, looking determined to help. "You must understand what that implicates. If you can't gain control, what you see as family will be crushed by your own hands when your Biotics run wild."

Naruto turned and looked determined at Hackett. "I won't join. Not unless you promise me that none of my family will be harmed!"

Pulling up a chair, Admiral Hackett sits down looking Naruto in the eye. Both stare at each other with unwavering gaze. The older man is very impressed seeing this young teen showing no ounce of fear or hesitation.

Hackett smiled, thinking of a way to help civilians using his status, as well as making sure Naruto knows who the one who gives the orders is. "How about this. You willing to hear out my deal for you?"

**XxX Present XxX**

Sitting on a bench near the docking bay for the freighter to go on. Naruto sits beside Emily as they look at an old photo of the old gang. The blond remembers taking the deal made by his idol as he became enrolled into the Alliance. Of course he had to wait till he was eighteen to become trained as a soldier. So before that he was put into the best schools and lived at the military base in Detroit. It was made a challenge by Hackett, show the upper class that an orphan street urchin can surpass the supposed elite.

And Naruto surpassed the Admiral's every expectations.

"Hard to believe that happened so long ago. Feels like a lifetime." Emily speaks softly. Her own little secrets kept in check as she smirked on the side, remembering her own invitation when she came of age.

Naruto sighed in nostalgia. "And Admiral Hackett kept his word. Everyone is safe and doing damn well for themselves. I still can't believe we both made it to N7."

Emily looked at Naruto with dedication. "We earned that Naruto. And training and fighting beside my brother was a plus to it all."

"You two have done impressive feats." A familiar voice sounded behind them.

Looking up both quickly stand at attention and salute as Admiral Hackett walks up to them. "At ease you two."

Both relax as the Admiral picks the picture Naruto dropped. "It's hard to believe that you two came from nothing to be both Commanders in the Alliance. I know Anderson is damn proud of you Shepard. Same way I am of you Uzumaki."

"Sir." The blond said with a small appreciated smirk.

Emily stood at ease, but still respectful. "Admiral. Why are myself and my brother summoned? We don't even know the name of the frigate."

Putting his hands behind his back Hackett looks sternly. "You both will be on a shakedown run on the SSV Normandy SR-1. Captain Anderson will fill you in on the other details."

Both siblings shared a surprise look. "The new advanced frigate designed by both Turians and humans. Heard that it is the fastest ship in the entire fleet. Captain Anderson commands it." Naruto spoke in shock.

On cue, the trio sees the galaxy relay open as the said ship comes into view. Emily let her curiosity get the best of her as she walked over near the glass to look at the sleek and beautiful ship. Looking back at each other the Admiral hands Naruto a pistol size case which he slips into his bag.

"Just so you know, getting that finished took effort." Hackett whispered.

"But will be worth it in the end." Naruto whispered back. "My orders admiral?"

Admiral Hackett Smirked as he tipped his hat and started off the corridor. "Check your bag when you get some rest in the Normandy, make sure everything is in order. Good luck Commander."

**XxX xXx XxX**

Sitting in his private room in the Normandy, Nihlus turned on his lab top as an image of a Salarian appeared.

"Ah, Kryik. How are things progressing?" The Salarian asked.

Nihlus shurgged a bit, relaxing in his chair. "Shepard and Uzumaki are now on board the Normandy. We will see what people they are like."

The Salarian shakes his head. "Still, unexpected that you named two humans for a rank into the Spectres. Do these two really fascinate you that much?"

His mandibles twitch as he narrowed his eyes. "What do you really want to say, Jondum?

**XxX xXx XxX**

The tour of the ship was amazing. As soon as they got on board, they met Emily's teacher and Captain of the Normandy. Meeting the man for the first time, Naruto was quite impressed by Anderson's sense of honor. Their guide for the tour was the Navigator Charles Pressly, who is an acquaintance of Emily's during the Blitz. From the debriefing room, to the hanger and engineering, they both groaned seeing that damn abomination called the MAKO. The two finally settled in with two sleeping pods. Both decided to check their lockers later tomorrow.

Watching Emily fall to sleep Naruto pulled out the case the Admiral gave him. Opening it up a smile graces his lips. "_Exactly as it should be, an SMG with the range of a pistol, and the effectiveness of an assault rifle. The SX-7 Eclipse eh? Catchy._"

The Eclipse SMG, a newly designed prototype weapon. Before Mass Effect fields, Humans used SMG rifles all the time, but as soon as they got into space with the other races already here, their technology jumped, and so did the weapons. There were Assault Rifles, Sniper Rifles, Shotguns, and Pistols. But nothing else, not even heavy weapons.

The SMG was always a good lightweight alternative to an Assault Rifle back before Mass Effect fields and Eezo drive cores, so Humans have been thinking of ways to make the SMG a part of galactic weaponized superiority.

This particular one was very well made. It had a sleek Stock, one that was very similar to the one Kassa fabrications uses on their rifles, like their prototype the Falcon, although the Falcon was YEARS away from being completed. He only ever saw the thing backfire in the test lab when Hackett walked him through to make the SMG. It also had a bulky muzzle over the top of the gun, to maximize range and heat reduction. Lastly, it had a stock grip that could be an underside grip for more personal handling, or be snapped downward as a handle grip for more tactical precision.

"Settling in well?" Called a sudden reverberating voice, the same vibrating sound a Turian makes when they talk.

Blinking as he sits in his pod, he turns to see a Turian in Phantom Armor by the Serrice council. He had to say one thing, those Asari knew what they were doing. Meeting a few Turians in his time of service, this one has to be the tallest he ever met.

But why is a Turian on an Alliance ship?

"Yeah, this has to be the most beautiful ship I ever seen. Commander Naruto Uzumaki." The blond says holding out his hand.

Returning the gesture the Turian shakes his hand. "Kryik Nihlus. Council Spectre."

_A Spectre?! What the hell is a Spectre doing here?_

Nihlus smirks with his mandibles twitching. "By your shocked face, you're trying to figure out why I am here yes?"

Letting go of their firm handshake Naruto lifts an eyebrow. "I have been on shakedown runs before Kryik. Never had one with a Spectre on board. I don't mean any disrespect, it's just…"

"Out of place?" Kryik finished.

"Kinda yeah." Naruto sighs.

Nihlus chuckles. "Perhaps you might figure why I am here Commander. Have a good night."

Nodding, he notices Kryik's eyes on a sleeping Emily. "Commander Emily Shepard. Hero of the Skyllian Blitz, and awarded the Star of Terra. Heard she has been looking for the one responsible for the attack on Elysium."

Naruto snorts. "My sister can be tenacious. I almost pity the idiot if did not want to kill the bastard myself."

"You are also known for quite a feat yourself Naruto." Kryik said in an admirable tone.

The blond's eyes slowly grew distant. "Surviving while everyone else died from a pack of Thresher Maws is not a feat. It's just sheer luck and the will of the Goddess."

Nihlus tilts his head in puzzlement. Never had he seen humans accepting other species religions. "You're a Siari?"

Naruto nodded, smiling as he looked up and thought a small prayer to the Goddess. "Found more comfort in it and in Athame. Believing in her brought me back from that nightmare. Never could find peace in any Earth religion. Not after Akuze."

Resting his claw-like hand on Naruto's shoulder the two look at each other. Looking into his eyes, Nihlus can see age in the human's eyes. Akuze changed him deeply. But he could tell it made Naruto into a better person and soldier. Even if the blond did not believe it himself.

"Good night, Commander." Kryik spoke with soft warmth.

With a nod, Naruto closed his eyes as he returned the statement. "Good night, Spectre."

**XxX xXx XxX**

The crew woke up bright and early, everyone preparing for the shakedown run. Naruto and Emily were among the only three to actually prepare for anything to happen. As they went to their lockers, Nihlus came in to grab his own.

Emily looked at him in confusion. "No one told me there was a Turian aboard."

Nihlus grabbed his pistol, Spectre class Stiletto, and put it on his hip before looking to Emily. "Shepard, Names Kryik Nihlus. Spectre. Technically we met when you were already in the sleep pod, but I suppose this is our first actual meeting."

Naruto wasn't distracted by Nihlus coming in and seen their equipment, and slapped his head. "Basic gear? Onyx light armor, a Kessler standard issue, a Storm standard issue, and two grenades. You're kidding me."

That got Emily's attention away from the shock of a TURIAN Spectre on the ship during its Shakedown run. She slammed her Locker open and groaned. "A Lancer standard issue and an Avenger standard issue."

Nihlus was puzzled by their grief. "I understand it's basic gear to you, but if your respective classifications hold true, those are the weapons you are best with."

Naruto grabbed the Storm and Emily grabbed the Avenger. They looked to each other and handed the other their respective guns. Naruto put his Avenger in his locker as he grabbed his armor, and Emily did the same with her Storm before suiting up.

Nihlus was confused by this. "Infiltrators are sniping specialists, so why give your Sniper away to Naruto? And Vanguards are mostly Shotgun wielders."

Emily turned to Nihlus as she strapped one leg buffer on. "Because. He's the better Sniper. I can barely hit a target at fifty feet with the thing."

Naruto was locking the side straps in place to his torso padding. "And whatever I can hit with a shotgun I can do so better with a pistol, and she always beats me in a shotgun match."

Nihlus hummed at that, making sure to put a mental note for later on how well they do with the weapons not meant for their classifications.

Naruto and Emily were finally suited up before they seen Nihlus walk off. He threw over his shoulder an order. "Meet me at the Helm, we'll be hitting the Mass Relay soon."

Naruto put his Sniper Rifle on his back and the Kessler on his hip, whilst Emily put her Avenger on her other shoulder and the Shotgun along the lower part of her back. With that, they started towards the Helm.

The Helmsman started engaging his warning on their first jump as they passed the living quarters. "The Arcturus Prime Relay is in range, initiating transmission sequence."

They met the Helmsman before they slept, but didn't really get a chance to know him. All they knew was people called him Joker. The two Commanders finally reached the Helm where Nihlus was waiting, as they seen the Mass Relay closing in.

Joker flew through the controls for the ship effortlessly. "We are connected. Calculating Mass and Destination, the Relay is hot." Naruto and Emily seen him at work, and were impressed. The Helmsman was effortlessly steering the ship at the right angle with little to no room for error, as if he was able to think the ship to do something.

Nihlus may not be showing his own impressions, but was truly in wonder at a Humans ability to control the ship when its Core was way more massive than a normal Frigate was supposed to have, with several higher thrust values against the light weight vessel. Not to mention, it still had Turian designs, so a human wouldn't know much about controlling the hull of a Turian designed frigate without severe training, especially to this degree.

Joker finalized the vector for approach and secured all stations for transit through the Relay. "Hitting the Relay in Three..." The Relay was huge in the front window as Joker shifted the ship to the side. "Two..." He engaged the Mass Effect Fields to gain access to the Relay network. "One." In a sharp acceleration, the Normandy shot through space with speed faster than light can travel.

The Initial jump was a pulse back for everyone, a small jolt, but that was expected of a Frigate hitting FTL speeds. A Dreadnaught needed everyone sitting and strapped in for their jump, making it more difficult for them to proceed without caution.

As the ship settled to a smooth cruise, Joker listed off the systems and their conditions. "Thrusters are green. Navigation is online and functional. Internal emissions sink is activated, and stealth drives are online. Drift is under fifteen hundred K."

To say the three behind him were impressed beyond belief was a small understatement. Nihlus, however, was always good at showing his poker face. "Fifteen hundred is good. Your Captain will be pleased."

Nihlus turned and walked off, hoping to keep his cool. Joker seen Nihlus do this and turned back to his controls. "I hate that guy."

A man beside him, by the name of Kaiden Alenko, who they met when putting their off duty civvies in the bottom locker, was a Lieutenant. He was sitting by Joker helping with weapon systems when he heard that comment and turned to see Joker. "Nihlus gave you a compliment. So, you hate him?"

Joker got defensive after that. "You remember to zip up your jumpsuit when coming out of the bathroom that is good, I just jumped us from one Relay to another without hitting any other relays, which is the equivalent of hitting a fly in London from New York with a shotgun, so that is incredible."

Naruto gave a soft chuckle to that, which brought a smile from Joker. He continued before Kaiden could ruin the good mood. "Besides, Spectres are trouble. Call me paranoid."

Kaiden was quick as a whip with that one. "You're paranoid." Emily managed to quietly snicker, which only Naruto could hear. "The Council helped fund this project, they have the right to send someone to oversee their investment."

Joker seen the Normandy start to drift a bit too much to the left and corrected instantly. "That is the official story, but only an idiot believes the official story."

Naruto knew that all too well. Officially, he was a horrible Commander for allowing his whole squad killed. Truthfully, even though he felt it was true he made the call and it was his fault, he was not a bad Commander for something like a Thresher Maw attack and a Batarian raid. Even the most skilled Admirals might have had trouble keeping their troops. It wasn't exactly the best mission for survival.

Emily was the one to comment on this. "Even if the official story is a cover-up, there's no reason to send a Spectre on a shakedown run. Any other officer, or even half the crew being Turian would have been a good scenario. Something is not right."

Joker looked to Kaiden once he corrected course. "That's an understatement. It's an occupational hazard to always assume the worst, and when it comes to Spectres, the worst is always what comes around."

The Captain came on the comms. "Joker, Status report."

Joker linked up his comm. "Just settled in from our jump, Captain, Stealth Systems ready to be engaged on your mark."

The Captain was happy about that. "Good, Find a comm buoy and link us to the Brass, Better to start mission reports BEFORE we hit Eden Prime."

Naruto and Emily both looked to each other in surprise and confusion. Shakedown run with a Spectre to the most peaceful world in the human's colony list, with only the most basic gear? There was something horribly wrong here. They were only ever called for big missions, and to have something like this go down, it was hard to believe the official story at all.

They were so busy in shock, they didn't hear Joker disrespect Nihlus. But got the gist of it as Anderson replied in an annoyed tone. "He's already here, Lieutenant. Tell the Commanders Uzumaki and Shepard to meet me in the Comm Room for a debriefing."

Joker looked back. "Got that you two?"

Naruto nodded, and Emily turned, knowing Anderson enough to know when he thinks there is trouble. "He sounds angry. Something must have gone wrong with the mission."

Naruto followed her and Joker scoffed. "He's always mad when he is talking to me." Luckily, Kaiden's comment was unheard by the two Commanders.

As the two were heading through corridor of crewmen on the supplementary systems, they heard Pressly speaking to someone on the comms. "I'm telling you he looks like he is ready for war! He just stormed passed with a look of purpose in his eyes."

The answer coming back was nonchalant. "He's a Spectre, He's always expecting war, and going out to prevent it. It's their job."

Pressly sighed heavily. "And we are along for the ride into his war. I don't like being kept in the dark."

As the answer comm from the other guy, Emily turned to Naruto. "I'll handle him. Go on, tell them I will meet them there."

She came to Pressly as Naruto went forward. "Sounds like you don't trust our Turian guest."

Pressly turned and saluted. "Oh, hello ma'am, sorry about that, just a chat with engineer Adams." Then he processed the question. "And you know why I don't like Turians, Shepard. But the reason I don't trust him on this is more than that, it's cause he is a Spectre. Their top Covert Op specialists who answer to no one but the Council, and here we are, the first time taking the Normandy on a mission, which is supposed to be balance and testing its new drive core and stealth systems, a Shakedown run if you will, and there is a TURIAN Spectre on board, they don't send their best unless there's something big going on, and this new drive core isn't it. I was helping with an Asari vessel a few years back that were incorporating lighter armor and smaller core for a bigger ship, no Spectres to be seen."

Emily nodded at that, understanding his concern. "I have the same feeling about this mission... Me AND Naruto? In basic gear? To Eden Prime? It would normally sound like a vacation, but to add a Spectre, with Captain Anderson, on the most advanced Frigate to date. There's something they are not telling us. But we can't question orders. Just keep your mind sharp, and expect the worst, if anything goes wrong we need everyone at their best."

Pressly saluted. "Yes ma'am."

Emily started walking to the Comm Room. "And Pressly, I told you. That war was long ago, so do not blame Nihlus for it." She didn't wait for him to salute, just knowing he would. She seen Naruto talking to the Doctor and another soldier just outside the Comm Room, and was overhearing their conversation.

Naruto turned to the Soldier. "Jenkins, just remember, this is just another mission, so do not be playing the Hero. We are a squad, we don't go solo. We might get action, we might not, but that should not make you do anything stupid."

Jenkins saluted, and nodded. "I guess you got a point, Commander, thanks for the Pep talk."

Naruto nodded and turned to the doctor. "And you take care of yourself. If Jenkins does get in over his head, we need the best doctor around. That has always and forever will be you, Doctor Chakwas."

Chakwas smiled, and shook Naruto's hand. "I'll try. And I am glad to see you are still doing well. I would never be the same if my favorite patient got killed in combat. I don't need another Akuze."

Emily smiled and pulled Naruto's arm. "Come on, We're keeping Anderson waiting."

Naruto followed and they entered the Comm Room, but Anderson was nowhere to be seen. Nihlus was the only one here, and as they stepped up, he turned. "Shepard, Uzumaki. Glad you could join me."

Naruto nodded. "Had to calm an eager corporal."

Emily looked around. "Where's Anderson?"

Nihlus smiled. "He's on his way, but I figured we could have a chat before he did, all three of us."

Naruto was not a fan of playing mind games, nor being played by them. Joking was ok, pranks sure, but mind games was something Marcus and his gang always did, so he wasn't about to let anyone play with his. "You know as well as I do, that this isn't normal. A Frigate, on a shakedown run, to a peaceful planet, with a Turian Spectre on board? I respect you, but I won't play with you."

Nihlus hummed at that, impressed. Emily crossed her arms. "Besides, me and Naruto only ever get called together for the really hard missions. Standard gear? Something is not right."

Nihlus grew more impressed. "And most would say Humans aren't ready to face the Galaxy. With the helmsman of Joker's skill, and two Commanders with their skills and intelligence, it's a wonder they haven't already gotten into the Spectres. Well, now is their chance, and they are already climbing over the expectations."

Nihlus stood with his arms behind him. "I think it's time we tell these two what is truly going on. Don't you, Anderson?"

As Anderson came in, Naruto and Emily turned and saluted. "At ease. And I agree with Nihlus, we won't have much time to talk when we hit Eden Prime."

Emily knew that tone. She had been a part of some blind missions before under Anderson. "So everyone being on edge isn't just a coincidence. This isn't a Shakedown run."

Nihlus smirked. "Oh, it is one, but it is so much more."

Anderson nodded. "We're making a Covert pickup on Eden Prime, straight from the top, this is the reason we needed our Stealth Systems online as a priority."

Naruto looked to him. "So we're a human vessel hiding from a human colony to pick up something we have already? There's more to this than you are telling us."

Anderson smiled. "Emily always said you were smart. This comes down from the top, so it's a need-to-know basis only, that's a given. But, you are in that group. Eden Prime Excavation groups found something with galactic importance, something Prothean."

Emily looked surprised. "You're kidding, sir. Prothean? As in the race that died out over fifty THOUSAND years ago Prothean? Last time we found something of that magnitude, we went from fossil fuel engines to faster than light travel engines."

Nihlus chuckled. "And this is more important for not only Humanity, but for the rest of the Galaxy. So, we need to make sure it gets to safety, and fast. So this was the most ideal vessel."

Naruto looked down in thought, cupping his chin. "Sharing this with the council will help improve relations. We still are new to the whole alien species politics idea, the First Contact war wasn't exactly helpful with first impressions."

Nihlus nodded and came up to them both. "The Beacon isn't the only reason I am aboard this vessel. There is also the matter of you two."

That got their attention. Anderson smiled widely. "Nihlus is here to see you both in action. He will be evaluating you both for a very special promotion."

Emily looked surprised, but Naruto was shocked. He could understand Emily getting one, but him? After Akuze, he knew he was going to stay Commander forever. "What do you mean by that? There's nothing about me that says I need Spectre's looking over my shoulder."

Anderson looked to Naruto and frowned. "You've been given a chance for something special. Humanity has been trying to get someone in the Spectre ranks that is from our species. If we can get one of our own in, it'll show how far we gave come, seeing as how the Spectres are the Council's power and authority."

Nihlus shook Emily's and Naruto's hands and stood back at attention. "Shepard, you shown courage and skill in the Blitz, the tenacity to never give up, the will to push forward even against all odds, it's a very good trait to have."

Emily smiled and beamed at that. Nihlus turned to Naruto. "Akuze may very well have been a terrible wrinkle in your record, but to go through something so terrible and come out standing tall, you show a remarkable will to survive, and have the skills to push forward against all odds. A very useful talent indeed. I put BOTH of your names forward for Spectre status."

Naruto looked to Nihlus and had a calculating look. "Why put our names forward? Most Turians resent us. And it's not like our own behavior is any better."

Nihlus twitched his mandibles at that. "I am not like them. I doubt you are either, being a Siari. Not all Turians hate Humanity, and I know not all Humans hate Turians. I don't give a damn what gender or species you two are, all I care about is that you two have every skill a Spectre needs. And it's VERY rare for us to find that. This is why I am going to be watching the both of you. I need to see these skills and talents myself, but I have every hope for you two."

Naruto and Emily looked to each other and both smiled. They stood at attention and saluted, and in Unison agreed. "We shall give it our all!"

Anderson nodded at that and looked to Nihlus. "We should be getting close to Eden Prime, if Joker's course is stable."

As if on cue, Joker came on the comms. "Captain, we got trouble! Emergency distress beacon was set off by Eden Prime just five minutes ago, we didn't get it until now, something must have blocked their communications, or it got delayed until we started getting close. Either way, you should see this distress call they sent just now."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Put it on screen, Joker, pronto!"

They stepped forward and the screen came to life. What they saw Made Naruto cover his mouth, flashbacks of Akuze hitting him as he seen the slaughter on the battlefield that some soldiers were desperate to get away from but couldn't.

When the video ended, Joker told them that that was it, it got cut off after that. Anderson thought a moment. "Go back, 38.5 and pause." Joker rewound the video to that point and stopped, and what they saw was humongous in size, what looked like fingers or something like tendrils coming from the ash and smoke with energy writhing along it.

Nihlus was having a bad feeling about this, his Mandibles quivering along his cheeks.

Anderson glared. "This mission just got a lot more complicated."

Naruto turned and started to leave. "I'll lead a team in a small cover operation, save as many people we can, Emily, you and Nihlus need to get that Beacon with whoever is left."

Nihlus was about to speak out when Emily followed. "Sorry, Naruto and me will take care of ground troops. Anyone left alive we can save, and we will meet you at the Beacon. We'll try to draw their forces to give you clear passage."

She left as well. Nihlus hummed at this before looking at Anderson. "I suppose my expertise is moot at this point."

Anderson shrugged and they went down to the cargo hold. Naruto, Jenkins, Kaiden, and Emily were finalizing their preparations. Naruto slapped his SMG along his back where a Shotgun would be, and put his helmet on. Kaiden and Jenkins were suiting up as Emily was putting her Omni tool on. Naruto went with his suits basic functions for now, seeing as no one bothered to suit him up with a good Omni Tool.

Joker called their approach to the surface, and Anderson came up to the four soldiers. "Alright, listen up, Nihlus will be heading straight for the Beacon. Your mission is to meet him there when you have moved through the last known location of any survivors, and help get them to a safe landing point for us to pick up. Naruto, you take point."

Naruto cocked his Sniper rifle, nodding. "Good to go!"

Jenkins looked over to see Nihlus grabbing his Shotgun, and seen him by himself. "Nihlus, you aren't coming with us?"

Nihlus checked to make sure his Shotgun was activated, and looked back. "I move faster on my own. Besides, Naruto and Emily aren't slouches, you'll make it through this Corporal."

The hangar bay doors opened up and Nihlus ran fast, jumping out. Anderson turned to everyone after seeing that. "Primary objective is to keep moving towards the beacon, searching for any and all survivors, do not divert from the route best to get you there, Civilians are not our major concern. If the enemy gets that beacon, this mission is a failure. Good luck!"

Anderson left and the Normandy landed in a safe zone near where Nihlus jumped into combat. Naruto and his group shuffled out instantly. As the Normandy lifted back off, Naruto was looking around through his Sniper scope, seeing no one nearby. "Clear!"

Emily kept her Shotgun out as Jenkins held his Rifle close, Kaiden using his Pistol. They started going forward when Jenkins saw these bloated alien creatures. "Ew, what are those?"

Kaiden looked to him. "Gas-bags. Non-hostile and non-lethal, leave them.. This place smells like death and smoke."

The team kept a sharp eye as they saw a clearing to go through. Jenkins saw charred bodies and covered his mouth. "Oh god... What happened to these people?"

Emily bent down and checked real quick. "Quick deaths, no pain. Shot through the head and heart, charred later."

Nihlus came on the comms. "Whoever this enemy is, they hit the place hard. I'll scout up ahead, but be wary. Whoever they are, they have drones circling around the area."

Naruto nodded. "Copy that. Guys, we better move, Drones are patrolling, and we better find survivors and a position fast."

They started through a small passageway, and as they came to a cliff and clearing, Naruto stopped, and heard whirring nearby. He stopped and held a hand up making a fist, and everyone dropped. He looked out and seen nothing ahead.

Emily tapped Jenkins shoulder and pointed forward, and he nodded. Jenkins moved forward, but as he did, Naruto heard the whirring become louder and seen drones swiping to come in from beyond the Cliff. "Shit!"

As they started firing at Jenkins, Naruto activated his Biotics. Jenkins was shot multiple times with the drone fire, tearing straight through his shields without hesitation, but Naruto was quick to save the eager young soldier, using his red Biotics to pull Jenkins back behind cover.

Emily activated her Omni tool and used a simple command to override one of the two drones, making it swerve and crash into the cliff. The other was swerving in for the kill on Jenkins, but Naruto sniped it away with his first shot, and blew it up with a second right in the lens.

Naruto ran up with Kaiden as Emily went to the cliff, looking all around. Naruto seen Jenkins was injured badly, a shot to the shoulder, another to the stomach, and two in his right leg. "Damn it, this isn't good. Kaiden, you got medical training?"

Kaiden nodded and applied Medi-gel to the affected areas of scorched flesh, making Jenkins scream in pain. Naruto quickly slapped his hand over Jenkins mouth. After the pain died down and Jenkins finally stopped screaming, Naruto let go of his mouth, hailing the Normandy. "Normandy, Jenkins is wounded. Need immediate pick up at this spot later. Kaiden, you take care of Jenkins, ok?"

Before Kaiden could agree, Emily grabbed her Assault rifle. "INCOMING!" She fired off suddenly and Naruto started sniping. "GO!" Kaiden nodded and hauled Jenkins back to cover as Emily overloaded another Drone, and got behind cover. Naruto fired four shots, killing one and damaging another before his weapon overheated.

Naruto flared his biotic power and caused a Singularity that smashed the other two to nothing. Emily overloaded the last one before the danger stopped. Naruto kept a keen eye through his scope as his Sniper was overheated, his Biotics still flaring. "Clear."

Naruto ejected his first spent Thermal clip, and stuffed a new one in. Emily seen her Assault Rifle was clearly heated to capacity, only a couple more shots before stopping so she did the same. Naruto started moving up, keeping his Sniper forward. Emily followed close as they went through small forage.

The two saw some movement ahead and Naruto glared through his Sniper. "Friendly!" Emily turned and looked to see someone tuck behind a rock in front of them, and further along were two beings they only heard about in stories. They looked like machines, shaped like bi-ped species, and had flashlights for eyes, and they see them spike live humans on large jutting spikes.

Naruto got into good position as he took careful aim. "Emily, get down there and protect the colonist!" Emily nodded and ran forward, which caught the attention of the machines ahead.

Naruto fired without hesitation, clocking one right in the eye before he could activate his shields, but two more came from further ahead as the other one he saw jumped behind cover.

Emily got behind cover and looked to the Soldier. "Commander Emily Shepard, SSV Normandy, We're here to help!"

The woman nodded. "Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Stationed here weeks ago, part of the 212... What's left of it anyway..."

Emily nodded. "When I say go, you fire at the first thing you see when peeking beyond cover, and I will fire at the same target. GO!"

Ashley peeked out and seen one machine start coming up and she fired quickly, just pulling the trigger and letting bullets fly as Emily did the same behind her. The machine fell easily, shields gone and body ripped to shreds. Naruto managed to catch another machine peeking out, and Ashley saw the bullet hit right in the eye of those things. She turned to see a man on the hill with a Sniper and smiled. "Glad you two are on my side!"

She looked beside her only to see no one. "Where she go?" She peeked out and seen Emily get in close and blast another machine's head off with her Shotgun. After a look around, Emily came back and gestured Naruto over.

Ashley sighed and holstered her rifle as she leaned against the rock. Emily and Naruto came up. Naruto keeping his Sniper handy. "Naruto Uzumaki, Commander, and leader of the strike team. Two of our men are behind us, one wounded. You?"

Ashley smiled and stood straight, saluting. "Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams. Only survivor of my squad. Sorry we couldn't meet under better circumstances. Anything you need me to do just say so."

******XxX xXx XxX**

Well here you go! Damn, this took forever... Me and Arch-Daishou were working around the clock to get this done. I started the story with Emily and Naruto meeting in the station before the Normandy as well as the meeting with the three humans and Nihlus. I also went from waking up from those sleep pods to the end where we meet Ashley. Arch-Daishou handled the earthborn history, as well as the tour of the Normandy and meeting Nihlus.

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope you enjoy, because this chapter is SUPER long, longer than even my Liger ninja chapters. And that's saying something. Before we go, Arch-Daishou, have anything to say to the audience?

**Arch-Daishou:** Hope you all enjoy this unique story. I am also the one that made Naruto a religious person. For anyone to face something like Akuze anyone would be shaken to their core of their soul. And the life Naruto came from on Earth, our favorite blond would not be one for faith. This is why I turned Naruto into a Siari believer. As for the red Biotics… Not telling. Have good a solstice!


	2. Fallen Eden, Visions of Past and Future

Hello again! This is Arch-Daishou at your service. I will be starting off on this chapter today. Hope you are enjoying this thrill ride of a Naruto Mass Effect Crossover. The founder of this story Godospartan the Kitsune, have anything to say my dear friend?

**Godo:** Hey y'all, hope your Christmas went well, and I know that RIGHT as I put my chapters up the site decided to be a bastard and not let anyone review or login. So for those of you who stuck it out till you could review, I applaud you, and I am VERY happy with the reviews. I hope me and Archy here can deliver a great second chapter for you all.

**Allons-y!**

******XxX xx XxX xx XxX**

"Are you wounded Williams?" Emily asks with concern.

Ashley relaxed from her salute earlier and looked herself over. "Just a few scraps and burns. The others weren't so lucky."

Naruto keep his eyes sharp on the perimeter then back to the gunnery chief. "I know you might feel it, but do not blame yourself for the loss of your squad. You have any idea why the Geth showed up chief?"

Emily turns her head sharply at her brother in surprise. "Are you serious? But they NEVER traveled beyond the Veil before, ever, not even when we came into the picture."

Ashley looked confused, looking to Naruto. "Geth, Sir? Shepard is right; they haven't been seen from the Perseus Veil since they kicked the Quarians off their home world. Least that's what they told us in school."

"They pushed the Quarians from their home world Rannoch and stayed behind the Perseus Veil ever since, until now. I would have to assume they are here for the Beacon." Naruto finishes. He really had to thank his teachers during his biotic training. A small pang in his heart hits as her image briefly appears in his mind.

"Can you describe what happened before the attack?" Emily asked, turning to Ashley.

The chief goes into every detail of the 212's being ground side on Eden Prime. Originally here to keep watch on the people extending the monorail and expanding the colony. Then the workers accidentally opened some old ruins which were Prothean, and discovered the beacon. From Ash's explanation, the scientists went nuts that this could be an even bigger leap for not just humanity but for everyone in council space.

Naruto and Emily were now beginning to understand why the secrecy. If the Terminus Systems got wind of this all hell would break loose. But the curve ball in all this is the Geth. After nearly three hundred years they emerge from the veil and are attacking Eden Prime.

Both Naruto and Emily did not like this one bit...

"Chief can you show us to the dig site?" Naruto asks. "You might as well join us."

Ashley gripped her gun and stood ready, standing ready for a fight. "Aye-aye Commander… Time for payback." Ashley whispers the last part to herself.

Naruto started walking forward, keeping his Rifle up, and his eyes sharp. He stopped and looked back at Emily and Ashley. "Emily, you and Ashley take cover while I take to high ground and snipe any bogeys up ahead. When it's clear Chief lead the way to the site with the commander, but stick to any cover you can find. These guys have aerial drones and will kill you in seconds. Understood?"

Ashley nods and gets ready to move on his mark. "Yes sir!"

As Naruto moved forward he got a hit on his communications. It was Nihlus. "Shepard, Uzumaki, there's a small space port nearby. Our paths are converging on this point, I'll go scout ahead and meet you at the dig site."

Emily nodded. "Understood Nihlus, we're on our way." As she seen Ashley look at her in confusion she explained. "Nihlus is a Turian Spectre, part of our crew on the SSV Normandy. This was supposed to be a simple Shakedown run before we learned the truth. Switch comm channels to our."

Just as she gave Ashley the communications channel, Naruto hid behind a rock ahead. Emily looked over and seen him give the signal for slow approach, enemies nearby. She tapped Ashley's shoulder and she slipped by Emily to look as well. Ashley moved up, gun pointed forward, and eye down the sights.

**XxX xx XxX**

Taking some well-placed cover, Lieutenant Alenko keeps one eye on a wounded Jenkins and another for enemies. As Alenko popped in a new Heat Sink for his Pistol, the corporal groaned as he looked up at the sky.

"I… I was born here. While everyone was farmers, I wanted to be in the Alliance like most my friends." Jenkins was shaking a bit, his shoulder throbbing in pain and hot to the touch.

He soon feels a hand on his unwounded shoulder, and Jenkins looks over to Lieutenant Alenko who is still looking for hostiles. "You're going through shock Jenkins. Happened my first time being shot."

"Y… Yes sir…" Jenkins tried to keep himself together, gripping his rifle but unable to actually pick it up.

Naruto whispered into the comms, Alenko knowing a whispered transmission meant hostiles near their position. "Lieutenant just heard some drones pass by behind a cliff near my position. Watch it; they may be coming your way."

Hearing Commander Uzumaki's warning he waited as he could hear Aerial drones nearing the area. He would have to time the shots carefully and not get caught by their scanners.

Alenko kept an itchy trigger finger, and flared his Biotics. "I heard going on missions with Shepard and Uzumaki together were borderline suicidal. This is what I get for thinking it was bull… and I owe Joker twenty credits, wonderful."

His eyes watch critically as a drone hovers closer. Before the Drone could get a lock on them, Alenko burst a Warp field around it and took aim. His line of sight narrowed as he squeezes the trigger. The shot was clean as it bypassed the shields and blew up the drone. Kaiden soon ducks as the last two drones open fire.

Through the pain Jenkins grabs a pair of grenades. "This is for attacking my home!"

Clicking the triggers the young corporal throws the explosives over their cover. As the drones come near they are blasted into bits from Jenkins grenades.

"Nice job kid." Alenko lightly smirked. Jenkins was overcoming the shock by sheer will to keep fighting. Just like a true soldier.

Coughing the corporal gave weak thumbs up. But he froze as a shadow cast above both. Slowly turning the Lieutenant's eyes widens seeing something he only read about staring back with a unique rifle in hand.

"A Geth..." he barely whispers.

Before it could take aim it was blown into pieces by the Normandy, which just arrived.

"Sorry we're late Lieutenant." Captain Anderson's voice came on the comm.

Alenko sighed as he helps Jenkins up.

**XxX xx XxX**

Kaiden sighs in relief as he helps getting Jenkins into the med-bay. The lieutenant was grateful no more of the drones came back as he waited for Joker to pick them up for Chakwas. The moment they got on board and with help from some other soldiers brought Jenkins up and sat him on one of the beds. Alenko watches the doctor goes about her work as he takes off his helmet.

However, his thoughts were on what he saw earlier. _"____Red Biotics? I never heard of something like that, ever. Just who are you Commander Uzumaki?__"_

"Lieutenant?" Chakwas' voice catching Kaiden's attention. "Impressive work in first aid. If you did not patch his wounds, the corporal would have died."

Alenko nods awkwardly. "It was nothing doctor. If anything thanks goes to Commander Uzumaki, used his Biotics in time to pull Jenkins from getting killed."

A smile tugged on the doctor's lips. "Can always count on Naruto to ensure people survive."

Alenko looked at Chakwas curiously. "How long have you known the Commander?"

Her smile turned to a mournful frown. "Since Akuze. He might have survived against a nest of Thresher Maws, but he was in terrible shape. It took hours to repair his body from the acid that the Maws attack with. But the emotional toll was worse. For days he was nearly in a catatonic state. Had it not been for Commander Shepard to pull him back, I doubt Naruto would have ever recovered. I never met a pair that is so devoted to each other. They are true siblings in every sense of the word."

Alenko listens quietly; he did hear that both Commanders are childhood friends. And when together in missions the two work in perfect sync with the other. Not only that, but when together the two could turn suicide missions into a cake walks but also turns them into wild firefights. But that was getting off track.

"Doctor, do you know why Commander Uzumaki has Red Biotics?" Alenko was very curious about that. Even the Asari never shown such Biotics, it was nonexistent for any biotic user to have anything but blue colored Biotic power. Human, Krogan, Asari, especially what little he knew of the Drell.

Slowly the elder doctor turns to look at the lieutenant with a calculating gaze. "If you wish to know about Commander Uzumaki's Biotics, please ask him when he returns."

As the door to the Med-bay opens Captain Anderson steps in promptly. Kaiden saluted as he stood at attention.

Anderson put a hand up. "At ease soldier, just what the hell is going on down there?"

Loosing up as the Lieutenant rubs his temples; "It's the Geth Captain."

Anderson's eyes narrow as he rubs his chin. Chakwas continues her work but keeps her ear open to the conversation.

Anderson stood tall as he gave his next order. "Lieutenant, I want you ready to be out there when Commander Shepard and Uzumaki clean the Dig Site of the Geth. Once it's clear I am dropping you back down, quick pass."

"Aye Captain!" Alenko salutes, grabbing his helmet and rushing to the cargo hold.

**XxX xx XxX**

Looking through the scope of his sniper rifle, Naruto sees his sister and the gunnery chief taking perfect cover near the dig site. He was thankful the drones were out of the way but that left Geth in their path.

Naruto hummed as he kept his eye on the Dig Site. It was through this small pit, and he knew the Geth were around it somewhere. _"____There has to be more about this damn beacon if it drawn the Geth here. And there has to be one hell of a reason they would pass into organic territory. Just would rather talk to them than kill them.__"_

Looking ahead he spots two Geth with unique rifles slowly coming near his kill zone. He tabs his com as he whispers. "Emily. I have two in my sights at 12 o'clock. Will distract them for you and take out any that come."

Emily acknowledged with a hand up and turning it into a fist. She put two fingers up and made them twitch a bit. Her signal for his lift field.

His eye narrows through the scope as he pulls the trigger. In seconds the first Geth is brought down as the tungsten round shoots clean through its head. Following the fall of its comrade, the second Geth quickly looks for the attacker before riddled through by Shepard's and William's assault rifles. It falls beside the other Geth as now two more approach. Naruto eyes glows red as he pumps his fist into the air, in an instant both Geth are Biotically lifted into the air and made perfect targets for his sister and Ashley as they fire.

As Ashley riddled the Shields with bullets, Emily cast out and overloading program into the other Geth, making it explode and shred the other Geth into scrap. Ashley popped her Heat Sink, the automatic five sink clip cooling her gun with a new clip.

Naruto's danger senses soon kick in as he spins around using the blunt end of his rifle to knock out a Geth's assault rifle from its hands. The Geth tried to produce its Pistol, but Naruto grabbed its arm and shoved it up against its head, pulling the trigger for it and making the Geth's eye burst open.

As the Geth backed away, holding its head, Naruto grabbed his SMG and fired a quick burst, tearing through the rest of its head before it fell dead. Naruto sighed and put his SMG back on his back.

"Naruto!"

"Commander!"

Naruto turned and grabbed his Sniper off the ground, popping its sink and slipping in a new one as Emily and Ashley came up on him.

Emily looked to the Geth and then to her brother. "Are you alright?"

Naruto took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, Geth snuck up behind me. Silent sons of bitches I'll say that. They may have flashlight heads, but they make no sound."

"I can vouch for that commander. Assholes are perfect ambushers, no heavy footsteps or anything..." Ashley grumbles.

Suddenly the Normandy made a slow pass over them, and Naruto seen Alenko drop to the ground, using his Kinetic barriers to take the brunt of the force and using his Biotics to lighten his fall so his legs didn't break. Good thing about Biotics in quick drop combat, they support the fall so the ship doesn't take any fire and the team safely gets boots on the ground for their mission.

Ashley was pointing her gun until Emily lowered it with her hand. "He's with us. Lieutenant Alenko, A Sentinel class soldier." Ashley nodded and relaxed as Naruto and Emily went to the Dig Site. Ashley promptly followed.

Kaiden pulled out his pistol and looked around, seeing nothing he turned to Naruto, who had a hand up. Kaiden put his own up and they clapped a high five. "Nice to have another man down here. Geth are all over the place."

Kaiden nodded and looked to the Dig Site. "Where's Nihlus? Shouldn't he be here by now?"

Naruto shrugged. "Said he was inspecting a Space Port, haven't heard from him since. How is Jenkins holding up, you two do alright against the drones?"

As Naruto took his Helmet off, Kaiden nodded. "He's in med bay. Gotta say, the kid has guts. Was going through some shock when he pulled the pin and wrecked the drone I couldn't get in time with a grenade." Kaiden looked to the newest member of the ground team, then to Naruto. "Survivor?"

Ashley gave a small Salute. "Gunnery Chief, Ashley Williams, part of the 212 garrison forces here. Glad you could drop in, Skipper."

Alenko nodded. "Glad to have some more help on this."

Naruto could feel the dry gaze upon him from his sister, who walked with him. He knew why she was looking at him so dryly, but it was moot at this point. And the two can fight later on the Normandy.

Coming to some industrial mechs and drillers the Gunnery Chief looks confused. "That's not right. The beacon was right here, it must have been moved."

"By who? Our side or the Geth?" Alenko asks keeping his pistol sharp in hand.

"I don't know. Maybe will find out further. The monorail is just up ahead, I'll lead the way." Ashley comments.

Naruto and Emily share a look. That nagging feeling of this mission going to hell was growing. They just hope Nihlus was doing better and was alright.

"Move out." Naruto orders. As he walked around he seen a pathway up and looked to Ashley. "What's up there?"

Ashley thought a moment before looking at Naruto. "The science teams camp, I think. If they took shelter, the Geth might not have found them."

Naruto was hoping for the best case scenario, them still alive, but knew if a garrison force couldn't survive then surviving civilians were unlikely. Still, he was wishing for a miracle. The team started up slowly when Nihlus came onto the channel again.

"Shepard, Uzumaki. I found the Space Port, but it's crawling with Geth. Make it to the Beacon yet?"

Emily seen Naruto look to her and she nodded, replying to the Turian. "Shepard here, Beacon has been moved from the dig site, we're on our way to the Space Port but looking for survivors in the science camp, may have info on the Beacon there."

"Roger that, will look near the Port for clues."

Naruto gestured Kaiden to come up the corner, and he hummed, getting a good look at the area ahead. "The place looks deserted... perfect place for an ambush.."

Emily came up further and kept her shotgun aimed up the hill. As she did she seen the spikes along the cliff, but the people on them were not people anymore, as she stared in horror at the mechanical beings that looked like humans. "Their turning us into machines..."

Just as she said that, the spike descended, bringing the human turned machine back down. Ashley gasped as she seen it, coming up to the rock Naruto was behind. "Oh god! They're still alive!"

Naruto narrowed his eyes as he seen the machines stand off the device and turn to them. "They are no longer human... This is a fate worse than death." Suddenly the husk-like creatures screeched and ran forward, three of them. Naruto cursed and aimed down the sights. "Shit, Their charging!"

Kaiden flared his Biotics and threw one Husk back into the devices, knocking them over as Emily aimed her shotgun and fired a few times at the one coming closer to her, making it stop and kneel when it got shot in the leg.

Naruto shot the head of the one Kaiden threw as Alenko himself emptied his sink into the chest of the third one. The kneeling Husk got up and charged as Kaiden was replacing his thermal clip, Emily doing the same but it got too close. Naruto emptied his SMG into it and making it slump in a shredded mess. As he popped the heat sink, he grabbed Ashley and looked her in the eye.

Ashley was just standing there in shock, too shocked at what the Geth did to the people here, and Naruto wasn't going to have any of that. Ashley gasped and shook as Naruto glared at her. "We do not freeze up in the middle of a combat zone! Understood?!"

Ashley nodded vigorously and Naruto sighed, letting her go easy. "Look, whatever happened to them is just inhumane, something is definitely wrong here. Why they did this I have no clue but we have to stop it right now. The longer we wait to catch our breath or figure this out the longer they have to grab that beacon and kill the rest. Get your head on straight, Williams."

Ashley looked the mindless husks laying there dead. Something in her snapped, and she gripped her rifle, looking with steeled determination and fire. "Aye Aye, Commander. Let's show these Geth what for!"

Emily was taking point with Kaiden, who she gestured to follow her as Naruto gave Ashley her lecture, and seen a building was locked. She looked down the path once before turning to Alenko. "Keep eyes down there, I'm going to see why this door is locked."

Kaiden nodded as she activated her Omni-tool and started hacking the lock. When she got done, Naruto and Ashley were beside them. The door slung up and open, and Emily went in, Shotgun drawn. It only took her a second to notice the people in front of her were human survivors. "Survivors! It's alright, we're here to help."

Naruto and Ashley came in with Emily as she put her gun down. Ashley recognized the two in the building. "They're the science team. They must have locked the doors and hide to avoid detection. Dr. Warren, Right?"

There were two humans before them, one woman and the other male. The woman answered. "Thank the Maker! I'm glad to see you're still alright, Chief."

The man tried to hush her up with a sharp hiss. "They'll hear you! Shut the door before they come back!"

Naruto could already see the man crumbling from the pressure, cracking in mental stability. He was frantic and sharply observing them. Naruto looked to the woman. "Dr. Warren, can you tell us where the beacon is? We need to get it off world before the Geth do."

Warren nodded at this. "Sure, it was moved this morning. We took it to the spaceport for proper study, then when we came back here the Geth hit camp before we could start packing up. The marines here died to save us, they held them off so we could hide..."

Before Emily could comfort her, the man beside her turned to her in ecstatic bewilderment. "No one is saved! The age of Humanity has ended! This is the end! We're doomed! Only corpses will remain! The Geth are heralds of our destruction, led by the destroyer! A Turian who glows blue with evil! He was here before the attack even began!"

Ashley turned to Naruto and Emily. "Did you tell me you knew a Turian here? Could he have been an agent and you didn't know?"

Emily looked to Ashley. "Nihlus was with us on the Normandy before the attack, and we were still in transit from Arcturus, no way is this the same Turian."

Warren seen the man she worked with looking out the window and turned to them. "Manuel is still a bit unsettled after the attack. We haven't seen a Turian."

Naruto hummed and Emily knew where his mind was at. He was wondering if Manuel was telling the truth about a Turian leading the Geth attack. Emily turned to Warren. "Whatever happened here, it wasn't your fault."

Ashley had seen Manuel huffing and looking out of it. "What's wrong with Manuel, Dr. Warren?"

Warren looked to him then to the rest. "Manuel has always been a bit unstable, but nothing like this. Genius and madness are two sides of the same coin, seems the attack flipped his coin to madness."

Manuel walked up to them all. "Is it madness to see the future? To see there is no hope left, only the destruction of the galaxy at hand? I am not mad, I am the only one left sane enough to understand!"

Naruto decided not to waste any more time. "We need to go stop the Geth from wrecking any more of the colony, and save any civilians left. Stay here, keep hidden, alliance reinforcements are on the way."

Before they could turn and go, Manuel rushed up, grabbed Naruto by the collar of his armor and was frantic, shaking him a bit. "DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO SAVE! WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE! THE AGE OF HUMANITY AND THE REST OF THE GALAXY IS DOOMED TO DIE BY THE HAND OF MACHINES! YOU CANNOT STOP-!" "**WHAM!**"

Naruto slammed his head against Manuel's, knocking him on his ass and out on the floor. Warren gasped and went to Manuel's side. "What have you done?"

Naruto rubbed his neck and sighed. "He had me by the collar and was screaming in my face. He was manic, he needed to rest before he completely snapped. Sorry, doc, but this is for the best. Give him good treatment, and make sure he is ok. I give a mean head-butt. Everyone else? Let's go."

**XxX xx XxX**

There were only rare times Kryik could be genuinely surprised. Finding the Geth venturing out from the veil after two hundred years of self-isolation was on top of the list. And their first act being the attack of a colony that just discovered the new Prothean beacon.

That was no coincidence. This mission was turning more grave by the minute, a part of him wondered what Jondum would say about all this.

His breathing was even as he moved to the monorail for the space port, and as he gripped his shotgun the Turian Spectre kept to the shadows. Since spotting the monorail he saw a tall figure walking idly near unshipped crates. From what he saw the person was a male Turian, but nothing more. Kneeling down behind a crate he hears the figure's steps on the metal.

Quickly standing with his weapon aimed his eyes stern until they widen as he recognizes the person in seconds.

"Saren?" his voice in shock.

Slowly turning wearing gray armor ,with his scale-like face the same color, his sharp unwavering eyes show warmth as he sees his fellow Turian Spectre.

"Nihlus..." his voice deep holding a cold edge.

The said Turian lowered his weapon as he relaxed but stared with pure confusion in his eyes. "What are you doing here Saren? This is not your mission."

"The Council thought you could use some help on this mission." Saren said calmly walking over patting Nihlus' shoulder walking behind him.

That was Kryik's fatal mistake…

Kyrik looked to the Monorail, wondering why Saren was here. He never got a message regarding Saren being here, and even if Saren was oin the fastest Dreadnaught in the Turian fleet, the new Frigate they co-developed with the humans was much faster, and already on route since their departure. "I was expecting the Geth. The situation is bad. Though I feel Uzumaki and Shepard can get this mission done." Kryik said with no shred of doubt as he looked ahead. Still wondering what Saren was doing here, but not realizing him as a threat after all their time together.

He did not see Saren's eyes show recognition by one of those names. His hand griping his Stiletto pistol as he turns soundless. "Don't worry. I have it all under control." Saren said smoothly.

The cold blue unnatural glow illuminates from his eyes as he points the barrel of his gun at his 'comrade's' head.

Nihlus never felt the end coming…

**XxX xx XxX**

As the strike team lead by Emily and Naruto left they heard a loud gunshot ahead. Ashley looked down the way. "That's the docks to the spaceport... I think whoever shot that gun is alone. Maybe your Turian?"

Emily turned her comms on. "Nihlus, you at the docks or spaceport yet?" No answer. "Shepard to Nihlus, do you copy?" Again nothing, she turned to Naruto, and her gut fell. He understood why. He started a fast jog to the valley heading to the docks.

The team followed as he did and they soon felt the ground shake under them. Alenko was not the first to spot the cause, but was first to speak up about it. "What the heck is that? Some kind of ship? It's massive..."

In the distance, rising into the air, was the massive object that Naruto and Emily seen on the monitor showing the distress vid sent for help, red energy siphoning off it as it rose into the sky. Whatever it was, they knew it was at least dreadnaught in classification.

Naruto moved forward over the hump to see the space port docks, and looked through his scope in time to see the train leaving. He hoped Nihlus was on it going to the beacon, but his hope ran out. All over the place where Geth and even a few husks on spikes, but worst of all he seen something black on the floor near some crates, maybe a body, and it looked a lot like Nihlus' armor...

Naruto went prone and looked to the rest. "Move up. Geth are all over the damn place. Husks are made here, when they come off to attack hit 'em hard. Roger that, Williams?"

Ashley nodded, and followed as Alenko took point to the nearest cover. "Yes, sir. Roger that."

Emily got her Omni-tool ready, and switched to her assault rifle. "Ok, Kaiden get ready to throw up a warp field, when he does I want you targeting husks, don't give them a single inch Williams. First shot fired starts the attack..."

Naruto fired instantly, tearing a Geth's head in two. He knew the only reason his rifle was even doing this was because they were hitting targets who were off guard, but he was glad.

As soon as he fired, Ashley kept a sharp eye on the descending spikes, as Kaiden threw a Warp to a Geth on the right. Emily wrecked its shields with an overload program before ripping its armor to scrap.

Ashley read about Emily Shepard, the hero of Elysium. She could take down Biotics with tech alone, her skills in combat were strategically defensive to take punishment and survive. And her partner, Naruto Uzumaki, the survivor of Akuze, known as the man who got his whole unit killed, was capable of crushing a city sized camp of Batarian slavers with his Biotics before falling on the ground unconscious from too much power.

What little she truly knew of them and their history, but she seen clearly they were capable in a pinch. She wished they got here sooner, but the attack had caught them so off guard it wouldn't have mattered. It was only a half an hour since the attack began...

She seen the Husks finally start rushing and started firing, her weapon jamming and overheating to take own one of the three. Naruto hit the second one with a head shot, but it didn't kill him yet.

Kaiden tossed the husk into a wall and it slid down unmoving. Ashley quickly popped her sink and started blasting the next one as Alenko put a warp field around him, making her bullets hit much harder.

Emily took care of the last Geth by sabotaging its weapon, which made it explode and rip its chest in half. Naruto scanned the area as the fire died down to nothing. Seeing no more enemy units he stood up, popping the heat sink and replacing it. "Weapons check, we're all clear."

Emily popped her own heat sink and checked her Omni-tool for any movement. "We got some people nearby. Three in..." She looked around and pointed her tool out and to a building down the hill. "There, and another somewhere near the dock area."

Kaiden looked to Naruto as he replaced his Pistols thermal clip. "Me and Williams will head down to the docks, investigate and see about their weapons. We have to wait for Nihlus here, right Commander?"

Naruto hummed, but nodded. He started walking down. "Williams, you're with me. We head down to the docks. Emily can handle the survivors with the LT. Emily... Be quick about it, I think I know where Nihlus is..."

Emily nodded and went with Alenko to the hut. As they opened the door, Naruto went down with Williams, and he checked the Rifles the Geth had, picking one up. "Hmmm.. This is pretty advanced. Not as accurate at longer ranges, but the Geth are Synthetic, they can calculate for that. It's pretty powerful, using advanced electromagnetic fields to supplement the ammo. Turning it to plasma instead of a shaved piece of metal."

Ashley was impressed by Naruto's ability to comprehend their weaponry. "Sounds like you know your tech."

Naruto stood and nodded, letting go of the rifle and heading to the stairs up on the platform. "I should, I was taught by the best."

Emily looked hardened on the farmers that she helped out of the shed. One of them asked the guy she was talking to give her something, and he got defensive, and secretive. "Something you wanna tell me, Cole?"

The gruff man sighed, pulling out a pistol and looking at it. "The guys at the docks run a small smuggling ring. For a small profit, we let them store the good in our warehouses. We never look inside, but I thought, with the attack going on, we might find something useful to protect ourselves with. Here, take it."

He gave her a Pistol, it was a Raikou, a type 2 model. More accurate at long range, but it overheated too quickly so you had to pick your shots. It only took sledgehammer cubes, so it was a specialized gun, but the sledgehammer ammo cubes were great at taking out shields, it gave them an edge during the final throws of the First Contact war.

She nodded and put it on her hip. "Appreciated, but who is your contact at the docks Cole? I want a name. If he is still alive somewhere, he needs to answer for this. Smuggling is wrong, regardless of what is smuggled. This pistol could have gone to the hands of a pirate gang who might have attacked a month from now and killed your family. Smuggling is not harmless unless it's for the good of the law. Smuggling weapons from a Batarian slaver ship to help stop further attacks is better than smuggling for pirates in the Terminus who only look for an easy score."

Cole sighed, rubbing his hands together. "Guess it doesn't matter now. He was at the docks when the attack hit, he isn't alive. Even if he is, you got a point. His name is Powell... Look, sorry about the ring, we just wanted to expand a bit to bring in a better profit, we weren't getting a greater yield in our crops from our small budget and land development. Here, one last thing... I'm no tech, but looks like you are, you could use this."

Cole gave Emily an Omni-tool insert, it was a Nexus superior hacking tool, using brute force software to take out any computers, whilst still keeping them intact. On a door or command console, it would give her complete access quickly, but on synthetics like the Geth, it was going to do a lot more damage when succeeding.

She knew her own, a Blue-wire, was just your simple command center, but she also knew Naruto needed an Omni-tool to his standards. The Nexus was good enough for him, she could stand the Blue-wire till she got enough for a Logic Arrest.

Just then, she heard Naruto shouting. "You Coward!"

She turned to Cole. "Find a better place to hide, who knows if the Geth are going to come back." With that she ran for the Dock.

As She was talking to Cole, Naruto and Ashley found the body of Nihlus, he bent down and sighed. "Damn it... How could this happen? He was supposed to be a Spectre, one of the best." He noticed no wounds though, which got him thinking on how the heck he died. He turned the Turian over and gasped. A single shot to the back of the head. From the scarring around, it had to be no more than a foot away. Nihlus was the one sneaking up on him on the Normandy, he wouldn't have let anyone sneak up on him in a combat zone.

Ashley noticed movement and fired a single shot against the wall behind some crates. "Who's there? I know I seen you move around back there show yourself!"

Naruto stood and kept his pistol handy and ready to draw. A human put his hands up and stood, shaking. "Ok, ok, I'm out of hiding! Don't shoot!"

Naruto lowered Ashley's gun and sighed. "You could have been shot, be more careful next time. How the heck did you manage to stay hidden here with all these Geth around?"

The man lowered his hands. "I was hiding behind the crates, there's a spot between three large stacks right there." he pointed to them. "And the Geth weren't around till a second ago, must have gotten off the cargo train after the other Turian shot this one."

That got their attention. Ashley turned to Naruto confused. "Other Turian? So Manuel was telling the truth, there was a Turian here... But not this one?"

Naruto looked to the man in front of him. "Tell me everything. How did Nihlus die, why did he not know who was behind him?"

The man rubbed his hands together nervously. "Well, the other Turian was here, checking for something, I don't know what, and then your friend here came out of nowhere. When he seen the other Turian, he let down his guard, I think they might have been friends at some point, before the other one shot him at least. Your friend let his guard down, and the other one shot him."

Naruto looked to Nihlus. _"____Another Turian here, who might have been his friend? Was it another Spectre? Was it a Rogue element? This day keeps getting worse by the minute. But who is this other Turian? Eyes that glow blue...__"_

Naruto looked to the man again. "Who was the other Turian? Did you get a name?"

The man nodded. "Your friend called the other Turian something. Saren I think. When he killed your friend, he started to the Train, and Geth started making a sweep of the place. Then you arrived."

Ashley looked to Naruto. "Too bad no one else was hiding behind the crates, this guy is lucky."

The guy was shaking, biting his lip before he snapped. "They didn't get the chance... I was already behind the crates when the attack started."

Naruto looked shocked by this, then slowly turning to anger. "You were already behind them? YOU COWARD!" Naruto grabbed the man by the collar and looked him in the eye. "You might have hidden when the attack started, but to be hidden before it even started... Did you have something to do with this attack? Did you do something to piss off the Geth, and you were such a coward you hid when they came?"

Emily and Alenko came up, weapons drawn, but they lowered them as Naruto was only holding a human. Emily was confused. "What's going on here? What's wrong?"

Naruto let the man go and scoffed. "This guy was hiding before the attack even started, which is why he is still alive."

The man shook as he was crying. "I didn't mean for any of this! I swear! The only reason I was behind the crates is because I was feeling a bit tired from my twenty hour shift here! I usually get a few winks where the manager can't see to get through the day! I didn't mean for any of this, I didn't do anything to the Geth to make them attack I swear!"

Emily looked to Naruto, who took a deep breath and glared at the man. "You're not worth it." Naruto went to Nihlus and closed the Turians eyes. "May the Goddess find you peace in the eternal whole..." He grabbed Nihlus' shotgun and tossed it to Ashley. "Use it well."

Ashley nodded and put it on her back above her ass. She lost her pistol and shotgun both during the beginning of the attack. "Aye aye, sir."

Emily turned to the man and hummed a bit before speaking. "Your name is Powell right?" The man turned to her, still shaking out of guilt but nodding. "You're Cole's contact here, the one who runs the smuggling ring."

Just then, Naruto pointed his pistol at Powell, glaring wildly, his Biotics flaring. "SMUGGLING?! YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"

Emily grabbed his arm and lowered it harshly, and he snarled at Powell before turning away and going to check the train. Emily looked to him and Powell nodded vigorously. She took a deep breath. "When this is over, turn yourself in."

Emily looked to Ashley who was glaring at him as well. "He isn't worth it, Williams. Let it go. He will get what's coming to him." She looked to Alenko and he nodded, the two of them going to see Naruto.

Williams stepped up to Powell and scowled. "Whatever you were smuggling isn't worth it. But you better make sure you clear your conscience, because whatever you were smuggling either made this attack happen, or could have helped us fight the Geth. Find a hole, you rat." And she went with the others.

Emily put a hand on Naruto's shoulder, and he took a deep breath, his biotic flare-up sinking back in and dispersing. "Smuggler who was so lazy he was already hiding before the attack. The bastard."

Emily nodded and shook him a bit. "It's ok. He's guilty, and he will turn himself in. if he doesn't I wanna know so I can find him and put him behind bars for his atrocity. Till then, we have work to do. Nihlus is dead, we need to get the Beacon or this mission is lost. It's at the Spaceport, which might be where the train takes us like that Saren guy."

Naruto nodded and he looked to the cargo train. There was only a receiving platform to call the train back. Alenko seen this and looked to them. "I'll go get the train back here. Commander, tell him about the survivors in the cabin."

Naruto looked to Emily as Ashley came up behind them. "We found three survivors in that hut up the hill. Farmers. They let Cole store his smuggled goods in their warehouses. They gave us a pistol and Omni-tool insert. Here, thought you should have them."

She gave Naruto the pistol and he hummed. "We don't have the rounds for this. Good thing it's still loaded, but what do I do with my current pistol?"

Ashley came up. "I lost my own when the attack hit. I'll take your old one and use it well. Besides, you are an amazing shot with a sniper, can only guess how good you'll fire that pistol." When she smiled, Naruto did too, giving her his old one and replacing with the new one.

He grabbed the Omni-tool insert and slipped it in his armor slot, activating it real quick. "Nexus? Not a bad model, but its shield upgrades are not up to par. Thank you." Emily winked at her brother before she went down to see what Kaiden was up to as he looked to Ashley reloading her heat sinks for her rifle. "Running out?"

Ashley nodded, but slipped in the final sink, fully loading her gun. "Last few thermal clips. If the beacon is on the other platform, in the port, then we are close. Unless they send in heavy units we shouldn't be in too much trouble."

Naruto nodded, and started to the platform when he heard the hum start up. Alenko looked to him and Emily as he got on. "The train is coming back. But I don't know if we're going to be able to get there in time, or know if the Geth are on that train and going to ambush us."

Emily looked to some heavy crates to the side and smirked. She looked to Naruto. "Set up a barrier for us, Naruto. Alenko, help him place those crates on this platform." She pointed and Naruto and Alenko Biotically lifted three crates and placed them down in a line.

Just in time, as well, when Ashley seen through her rifle scope that the Geth were on the train coming in. "Guys, we got company! Duck down!"

Naruto kept his Biotics up, pulsing a Barrier around him as Alenko saw. Emily looked to him and ducked under cover. "Alenko, Warp field as soon as the train connects, William's pot shots only!"

Naruto was suddenly under fire after that order, as the Geth on the train saw him and started firing. His barrier was losing its grip when the train connected to the platform, and that was when all hell broke loose. Alenko raised up for a second and generated a warp field in front of the Geth, and that was enough for Naruto to suddenly throw a large ball of red energy at it.

Once it hit the warp, the ball dispersed and accelerated at twice its normal speed, tearing the first two Geth in half, and the three behind them flew off the train itself. Naruto took a knee behind cover, and let his barrier fall. Emily and Ashley nodded to each other as they popped from cover and took small pot shots against the remaining Geth. Alenko counted as he looked over their cover. "Guys, there's a larger Geth unit coming from the rear! Much larger!"

Naruto pulled his Sniper up and looked through the scope. "He's right, it's double the size of the others!"

As Emily sent an overload program to the Geth she took the shields down from, Ashley popped her Thermal clip, finishing the last Geth she was hitting off. Emily looked as Ashley laid back in cover. Naruto fired off his first round, and what surprised him was the shields on this one was much more durable, his bullet bouncing off rather pointlessly.

Emily looked to Alenko. "LT, can you pull the thing's weapon off him? Ashley I need you to be ready to move up, me and you will charge him on my command!"

They tensed as a rocket hit the cover of their heavy crates, but thankfully they were heavy plated crates. Normally used for mineral transport, they were tough. Williams looked to Emily like she grew an extra head. "Are you insane! That thing is huge!"

Naruto turned to Alenko. "Disarm him, Alenko! Williams, listen to Shepard and get your shotgun out! You two charge him and take out his shields, I'll take him down when they are out!"

Emily switched to her Shotgun, and as the second rocket hit, Alenko popped from cover and flared his Biotics, suddenly latching on the gun with dark energy and pulling with all his might, the gun ripping from the large Geth's hands.

Emily jumped form Cover, rushing the Geth, who was also charging. Williams hesitated a moment but followed suit, switching to the Shotgun. Naruto patted Alenko's shoulder as Alenko huffed, holding his head a bit. "L2's normal strain, just keep still and let the discharge fully cool down."

Alenko nodded and sniffed in a deep breath, still holding his head. He looked over the cover to see Ashley and Emily running back, firing off their Shotguns. It wasn't till the Geth was one car way from them, and Emily's shotgun malfunctioned form her final shot, that the shields finally popped. Just as the shields popped, the field dissipating, Naruto fired, the shot hitting right in the flashlight eye of the thing, where it slipped its final step and fell to the floor, its core powering down and dying.

Emily huffed, stopping before she hit the cover. "That thing was much tougher than we first thought... Whatever it was, it was massive, but we finished it off."

Naruto stood, replacing his sink for his Sniper and switching to his SMG. "Alright, let's move up and restart the train, we need to get to the port before they get the Beacon." As he jumped up, Emily looked to Alenko, who stood up rubbing his head.

Ashley looked worried as she was bent down catching her breath. "You alright, LT? I thought the L3 implants reduced the chance of head cramps."

Alenko shook his head as he climbed over the cover. "I'm an L2, not an L3, so I still get migraines."

Emily nodded. "Thankfully, only migraines. Or so say your records. Come on, you can rest when the train is on route."

He nodded and started down the train, where Naruto was already on the other end programming the thing. As Ashley seen this she looked to Emily. She wondered how they knew the crates were going to protect them, and how Naruto was capable of such biotic feats without any feedback from his implants. What she didn't know just yet, was Naruto doesn't have, nor need Implants for his Biotics.

Just as they got to the front car, it started moving. Naruto turned to them. "Alright, weapons check. Alenko?"

Kaiden showed his pistol. "Only used one Thermal Clip, Sir. Looks like they didn't expect us to sneak up on them that made things easier here."

Emily nodded and looked to Ashley. "You're running out I bet. How long have you been fighting?"

Ashley checked her heat sink and seen she was one shot away from needing to pop the clip. She switched her to Assault rifle. "I got three clips in my rifle and halfway to using the one in the sink. I have been fighting for half an hour, Ma'am, so I'm running low. Need a Tungsten sphere soon, or clips won't matter."

As Emily replaced her Shotgun's sink, Naruto took a deep breath and rested on the rails. "This is it. Final push. Let's hope the Beacon is still there, or we just lost all hope for this mission. Spectre dead, beacon gone, all during the first mission aboard the new frigate for the Alliance? The Council will have a field day..."

Ashley looked to them as Naruto said that. "You mean the Turian co-build that was promised? The new stealth frigate, SSV Normandy SR1? It's finished?"

Alenko turned to her and smiled. "It is, and it's a beauty. Fastest ship in the galaxy, with the newest prototype engine and stealth core. The Normandy is truly a work of art."

Ashley hummed at that. "Wish I could see it at least once... Sounds like a good ship to be on." What little she knew, Naruto was already going to recommend she be placed on the crew for extra squad support. She was a good soldier, even if she hesitated to shoot the turned colonists that the Geth made into machines. He was slightly sick at that sight, so he could understand if she had a connection to the people here that made her freeze because of it. She would do well on the Normandy, so he would recommend her for it.

Alenko seen the next station coming up. "We're about there, and it looks like we are about to have company." He gripped his pistol and got ready.

Naruto flared his Biotics and turned. "Let's hurry, who knows what the status of the Beacon is." As the train was stopping, Ashley seen some Geth on the upper levels and started shooting with Alenko as Naruto popped a Singularity on them, making them float and slam against each other.

Emily got off the train as it was stopping but gasped and halted before she could go up the ramp for better cover. "BOMB!" Alenko turned and seen it too and came up.

Emily knelt down and started trying to disarm the thing, and Alenko knew she was too out in the open to keep safe as she hacked the thing, so he put up a small barrier around them, straining and shaking from the power he was using. After the kinetic pulling of that gun from the tight grip of the Geth they fought on the train, he was already having a headache, this was not helping any.

Naruto seen this and activated his own Omni-tool, running behind cover with Ashley. He cursed. "Shit, That's one of four. Emily! Three more after that one, stationed along the ways to the port platform!"

Emily disarmed the bomb and looked up, seeing more Geth firing, and Alenko's barrier starting to fail. She grabbed him and dragged him along. "Up the ramp Alenko!" Kaiden didn't need to be told twice, slipping a little but catching himself and hurrying up the ramp to cover.

Naruto turned to Ashley. "Get up there and give them cover!"

Ashley turned to him. "But Sir, you need cover to get up there too!"

Naruto was still flaring his Biotics and he tossed her a Grenade. "Make it count! You get up there and fire it off, when it blasts I'll be clear to go!"

Ashley caught it and looked to him, a little hesitant. She nodded and jumped over the cover and over the railing, flying up the stairs as she sprayed her rifle at the Geth. She got behind some cover a little further away from Emily and Kaiden, who were moving systematically from cover to cover to get to the bridge that lead to another bomb.

Kaiden cringed as he got behind another wall and Emily looked to him. "You alright LT?"

Kaiden nodded, shaking it off. "Just a little kickback from using my Biotics beyond their limits, happens all the time! Keep moving, who knows when those bombs blast!"

Emily nodded and looked up. Ashley threw her grenade and it blasted two Geth to pieces, the other three on that walkway still safe somehow, and two more huge ones were starting to come around to fire at them.

Emily also saw as Naruto went solo. She knew even as a kid in the Black Foxes he never used his Biotics around his allies or friends, only against hostile forces. She found out why, as well. Whenever Naruto had room to blow off steam with his Biotics, whenever he had the ability to use his powers to their full extent, nothing stood up to him.

Naruto jumped off the cover her was behind and grabbed the railing under the bridge at full running speed and swung his legs forward, throwing himself up and over the railing, climbing one bar to slip over the last. When he dismounted he pulled one of the boxes beside the Geth and slammed it into the wall, flattening it effectively as he ran to the walkway they were all on.

Ashley looked in amazement as he grabbed another box and put it beside the other, making a wall between him and the Geth. Kaiden looked in awe as a huge red flare of biotic energy slammed into the boxes and sent the boxes flying, and hit every Geth along the way, making the smaller ones be sent flying with them, and tearing the bigger Geth in half from head to toe.

When they were dead he ran up to the nearest bomb. Emily ran to the one that was behind him and they both started to hack them to disarm the things. Kaiden and Ashley followed suit, but seen two more Geth come from around the corner.

Kaiden pulled one Geth to him and on the floor, where Ashley popped his shields. Kaiden took his head out after hitting the second Geth with a Warp field, making Ashley's rifle more effective as it ripped the other Geth to shreds.

Naruto ran forward and Kaiden followed suit with Ashley, Emily taking the rear position. As Naruto got to the last Bomb, Ashley and Kaiden turned to take on the rest of the forces, if there were any, and Emily pulled them back. "Hold position!"

They nodded and did, keeping ready and checking ahead. So far, nothing, but they knew it wasn't all done just yet. Naruto came back and let his Biotics dissipate. "Alright, all bombs are disarmed... I hope. None are near us, and this is not a big enough area to not be on my Nexus radar system. Hopefully the rest of the colony isn't rigged."

Emily nodded and looked to Ashley's rifle. "Cool your weapon, Williams. We can't have it malfunctioning in the middle of a firefight." She turned to Alenko. "Pull up your barriers, you're the front-man giving us cover on this walkway ahead."

Alenko put his pistol on his hip, saluting before flaring his Biotics, getting ready. Naruto turned to Emily. "This is it, let's finish this. The beacon is right there, I think." He looked to the shining tower thing ahead.

Ashley popped her sink and Alenko turned, putting up a barrier and starting on the walkway to the port. Just as he did, his Barrier was being hit with Geth fire, weakening it rapidly as there were five Geth, and one with a rocket launcher that nearly broke his barrier already.

Naruto took defense for him, propping his own Barrier up, which Alenko saw and let his down. With a cringe he grabbed his Pistol as Emily activated her Omni-tool, sabotaging the Rocket launcher. It managed to break as the Geth fired, which made it explode and throw two Geth to the ground, the one who was firing it was blown apart.

Ashley seen this and went out of cover, firing heavily on the dropped Geth, taking some fire as she was doing this. She managed to rip the Geth apart, but her Shields went down and she got shot in the leg, making her drop and roll down the ramp.

Alenko went from cover and sent out a Singularity, a weak one that only crashed the Geth together and lifted them a foot off the ground. Naruto seen this and dropped his Barrier, sending a harsh ball of red energy at them and tossing them off the cliff-side. Before they could relax, with Emily helping Ashley up on her feet, they heard the growling of Husks.

They didn't see them in time, as one Husk tackled Emily, trying to get its hands around her throat. The other grabbed Ashley and tried to drag her and pull her up by the throat, always slipping and clawing at her shoulders.

Alenko pulled the one on Ashley off her and Naruto shred it's head in with his SMG. Before any of them could help Emily, she had wrapped her leg around it's back and used her other side arm to pull it harshly to the side, making it lay it's back on her at a VERY awkward angle, and drew her Shotgun, Firing once into its gut and another two times in the head before it slumped. She threw it off her and stood, panting gently.

Emily grabbed Ashley again, getting her up and looking at her. "You alright, Williams?"

Ashley grunted, holding her leg. "Yes, Ma'am, just a leg wound. I'll be fine." Alenko grabbed some Medi-gel and applied it, healing the wound so it didn't bleed anymore. "It's still tender, try to keep off the leg for a little while, work it out as you go."

Naruto was looking around as he jumped down and sighed. "All clear.. Williams!" She looked to him and he stared at her indifferently. "You ignored safety and tried to deal with the Geth on your own, ignoring the ones who were up and still ready to kill you given the chance in order to take down the enemies vulnerable to your attacks to clear the way for your comrades."

He stepped up to her and she bowed her head in shame. Emily smirked on the side Ashley couldn't see her lips. Naruto smiled and lifted Ashley's head. "It takes courage and heart to make that sacrifice, but an even greater bravery to know that you are not alone in the fight, or should stay behind and let your team handle things alone. You only took this chance because you knew it would give us a chance to take them down and all of us survive the encounter, right?"

Ashley looked at him admirable and thought about it. The Williams family was always one of honor and sacrifice, even for the better of their comrades and not themselves. She smiled, telling him the plain truth. "I took the chance to help you all survive the fight. Even if I died here, I would have made sure to make my shots count so that you three could fight on and live. But I did know you three weren't going to sit around and let me take those shots for nothing, so I expected to survive the firefight."

Naruto nodded and Alenko started to the Beacon. He hummed. "So this is working Prothean tech? Amazing that it's still active after all these years..."

Naruto seen it and radioed in. "Naruto to Normandy, we have the Beacon, it's safe and ready for transport." He waited for a response as Emily let Ashley lean against a crate. He had to wonder, though, where the other Turian was.

It was strange enough the doctor turned insane seen the Turian, but also the dock worker? And Nihlus would never have let his guard down against Geth, it had to be someone he knew turned traitor. But where was he? If he took the train here, he had to of been here at some point. Did he do something to the Beacon? What was it anyway? There were too many questions, and not enough time for answers just yet.

Just then he got his answer on the Comms. It was Anderson. "Roger that, Normandy inbound to the Spaceport, be there momentarily." He nodded, but before he could think about this issue any longer, he felt a pulsing sensation suddenly.

Naruto, Emily and Ashley looked to see Kaiden grounding and trying to turn away from the Beacon, which was starting to make some kind of noise and glow a little brighter. Naruto acted quickly, rushing to him as Kaiden was being lifted off the ground. He grabbed Alenko and threw him to the side, but then it hit him.

Naruto didn't have time to fight it, as he was pulled in. He tried to fight it and step back, but he slipped close enough for it to lift him off the ground, and he went spread eagle in the air. His eyes snapped wide as suddenly his mind filled with images and visions of whatever the Beacon wanted to fill him with.

Emily held onto Alenko, who was on the ground gathering his bearings, looking horrified as Naruto was near a rapidly louder beeping Beacon. "Naruto!" Just as she said it, the Beacon exploded, knocking Naruto back onto the ground and out cold.

She rushed to his side and lifted him up, checking his pulse. "He's still conscious, but he needs medical treatment." She radioed the Normandy. "Need pick-up NOW!" She shook Naruto to try and wake up as Ashley and Kaiden came to them.

The Normandy came up and opened its cargo bays. Anderson seen the beacon was destroyed and looked to see Naruto out cold. Alenko grabbed Naruto and hoisted him up, picking him up in a Fireman's carry position and started walking him to the Normandy, Emily helping Ashley walk to it.

Once aboard, Emily looked to Anderson. "The Beacon got destroyed when it pulled Naruto in and did something to him. I don't know why it suddenly lifted him in the air in front of it, but whatever it did, it blew up in his face. It's gone sir, and Nihlus is dead..."

Anderson looked to the beacon and nodded. "Get to the Med-bay and get ready for a debrief. We're heading to the Citadel." He turned and closed the cargo doors.

Once in the Med bay, Kaiden laid Naruto on the far table, Chakwas coming up beside him and checking him instantly. "What happened, Lieutenant?"

Kaiden huffed, sitting in the side chair as Emily brought Ashley in, sitting her on the last table. "The Beacon blew up right in front of him, it knocked him out on the ground, that's all I know."

Emily came up to him and looked to Chakwas. "Will he be ok?"

Chakwas checked the system as she scanned his body. "He looks fine besides a few scraps, probably from the explosion, but I need to do a proper test. It'll take me a few minutes."

Jenkins looked to Kaiden. "Where's Nihlus? And who's the girl?"

Ashley looked to Jenkins. "Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, and you are?"

Jenkins turned to her. "Corporal Jenkins, Sorry Ma'am." He saluted and she nodded at him to be at ease. He turned back to Kaiden. "What about Nihlus? Shouldn't he be here? And how did the Beacon explode?"

Kaiden shook his head and sighed. "Nihlus is dead, he got killed somehow, and Commander Uzumaki has the details. As for the Beacon, I think I triggered something that made it explode, some kind of energy field or something, it pulled him into the air right in front of it and went off."

Just then, Anderson came into the room. "Status report. Commander Shepard?"

Emily turned to him, Saluting. "Sir. This mission went to hell. We ran into an enemy we were NOT prepared for, and the Beacon activated something that suddenly made it explode. Whatever it did to Naruto will have to wait till he is up to tell us, but it seemed like it was doing something to him, he was horrified at whatever was happening."

Anderson nodded. "At Ease. Lieutenant Alenko here told me it was Geth. They haven't been seen outside the Perseus Veil in nearly 300 years, no one could have predicted they would attack Eden Prime now."

Ashley looked to Anderson, Saluting as she tried to stand. "Sir, they seemed to be after the beacon. They set bombs all over the Port, as if wanting to destroy it not take it with them. And there were two witnesses to say the Geth were not the only ones on Eden prime. They said it was another Turian."

Anderson turned to her and looked puzzled, but stern. "Name and Rank, Soldier."

Ashley nodded. "Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, part of the 212 garrison on Eden Prime. Commander Shepard and Commander Uzumaki saved me from the Geth. I'm the last of my squad..."

Anderson nodded. "Welcome aboard the Normandy, Williams. You were saying? Another Turian?"

Ashley nodded. "Yes sir. The first Witness was too insane to trust, he snapped during the attacks and went mad. The second is a dock worker, ran a smuggling ring out of the docks we found out just recently, said a Turian named Saren killed your own Turian, Nihlus"

At the mention of Saren, Anderson turned fully to her, looking startled. "What? You're sure?" He gathered his wits swiftly, clasping his hands behind his back and standing at attention again. "You are certain of the name?"

Ashley nodded. Emily knew Anderson NEVER broke stance for anything but the most shocking news, and just the name of the one who shot Nihlus was enough to do just that. "Sir? Who is Saren? You know him?"

Anderson took a deep breath. He trained Emily and recommended her for N7 training in the first place, she was his finest candidate as his replacement if it ever arose. He knew she picked up on his break in stature when he got shocked. "Yes, I know the name... Saren is a Turian Spectre, one of the best."

That got Emily's attention. A Turian Spectre killed his own comrade? Why? And how did this fit to him wanting the Beacon destroyed. The Council wanted the Beacon preserved for study not blown up.

Ashley looked to Anderson. "Nihlus was his friend, then he shot him in the back of the head. This Saren guy killed Nihlus when he let his guard down for what he thought was a friend."

Kaiden looked to her. "You're sure? That's how he died?"

Ashley nodded. "Commander Uzumaki inspected the body. The only wound he had was a single shot to the back of the head, and he said it was in close proximity."

Anderson sighed but kept composure. "We'll wait for the fleet. Once they come to station the area we grab Nihlus' body and head to the Citadel. We will get the testimony from the dock worker and add it in to the report."

Chakwas finished her scans. "Captain, Naruto's fine, physically. Just a little clean up from the explosion's splatter of dust and wait until he is conscious, that's the best I can do besides monitoring his brain activity."

Anderson looked to her. "Good work, Doctor. Keep me informed of his status." With that he left to call the fleet.

Kaiden took his Helmet off and sighed. "If I hadn't of gotten close to the thing, maybe I could have stopped it from activating and exploding."

Emily took her own helmet off and looked to him. "It wasn't your fault. You had no idea what would happen, none of us could have predicted what the Beacon could or would do. Whatever happened, do not blame yourself."

Kaiden looked to her and saw her calmly looking his way. He smiled a bit and nodded. "Thanks for that, Commander. Means a lot." He made to get up and cringed, holding his head. Chakwas put her hand on his shoulder and sat him down. "I'm fine doc, just a migraine."

She looked to Emily. "Commander Shepard, how much Biotic power did he use?"

Emily sighed. "A lot. He was cringing halfway through the mission. It was a lot tougher than we imagined, it pushed him beyond his normal limitations."

Chakwas turned to Kaiden and patted his shoulder. "You are staying put. Get some rest, I'll get your medication. You can't push yourself too hard without some rest or you'll burn out."

He nodded and Emily went out of the Med bay. She took off her armor, dressed only in her blues now. "Get better, Naruto..."

**XxX xx XxX**

Passing through the void of space, Saren's massive dreadnought moved soundless through the stars.

Her steps were light as a beautiful ageless Asari in black robes walks into Saren's inner chamber. The said Turian sits quietly in thought as he looks ahead. He neither speaks nor moves hearing the Asari clear her throat.

"We picked up a ship near Eden Prime. The Normandy, human Alliance vessel. It was under the command of Captain David Anderson," she saw the subtle reaction he gave hearing that name. "They were able to safe the entire colony."

Saren growled subtly. Anderson was a very old name for him, and he didn't like the humans need to undermine his work. He still got what he came for, regardless of who was commanding what ship that had Nihlus and whatever strike team fight his Geth army. Knowing they saved the colony, it meant the Beacon was saved too. "And the beacon?"

She caught the small edge in his voice, being a matriarch she could easily tell expressions of others easily. "One of the humans may have used it." She said almost tonelessly.

Saren's reaction was not surprising. Quickly turning he growls as he stands and roars with rage as he smack a vase off a table. She simply tilts her head as the item flies into the wall shattering.

She watches with no fear or surprise as the Turian nearly charges her but stops with his faces inches from hers. His rage subsides as he takes several deep breaths calming himself.

Saren stpped back away from the Asari's face, snarling out his last order regarding this incident. "Then… This human must be… Eliminated." Saren said in a drawn out voice.

The Spectre turns to walk away as the Asari Matriarch nods. She tilts her head slightly seeing the man stop. "Who touched the beacon?"

The Asari was curious why he would ask, but she did not question him. Simply obeyed and answered. She knew who from the report sent through the Relay's communications network. "Commander Naruto Uzumaki…"

She did not see the darkness in Saren's eyes slowly grow. Satisfaction can be sweeter for the truly patient indeed…

**XxX xx XxX**

After the fleet arrived, and the Normandy recovered the body of Nihlus, they were headed to the Citadel, passing through the Relay network at a steady pace, no longer in an urgent hurry. It had been ten hours since they got off Eden prime, and Naruto was still asleep.

Emily had helped take his armor off with Kaiden's assistance. Naruto was dreaming, still seeing the vision of the Beacon that implanted the images into his mind. Some kind of machines or synthetic life, not the Geth but something much more gruesome and fleshy as well, killing organics, a race they looked like, murdering them mercilessly, giant tentacles crushing buildings, machines larger than sky-scrapers. He couldn't make out the images very well, but he knew they were machines, living entities moving and killing of their own accord, helping the synthetic life forms kill the organic beings the synthetics looked like.

Just as something came from inside a dark planet like a hand made of metal, he started to grow faded, feeling a tug on his mind as he stirred from the vision to conscious thought. He groaned as he stirred back to the world of the living. He could barely make out the rumbling of someone's voice, male, and opened his eyes slowly.

He looked around and seen Jenkins on his feet, looking at him. "Sir? Sir! You ok? You remember anything?"

Naruto groaned louder as he slowly got up, shifting on his elbows to see Chakwas making her way in. He also saw Emily come in and rush to his side, hugging him tightly. "Naruto! Thank heavens you're awake! Don't you ever scare me like that again!"

Naruto chuckled weakly as he held her close gently. She let him go and he got up, shifting to sitting over the side of the table, rubbing his head. "Did we complete the mission?"

Emily looked down sadly and Naruto sighed. "Damn it, if only I hadn't of let the Beacon activate and pull me in. I should have been faster pulling Kaiden out."

Emily shook her head. "It's not your fault. No one could have foreseen the Beacon would be able to pull us in for something and blow up. Before it blew up and knocked you out cold, it did something to you. When you were out cold we got you back on the Normandy and Chakwas cleaned you up."

Naruto looked to Chakwas and smiled. "Thanks, Doc. I owe you again for helping me back on my feet."

Chakwas chuckled lightly. "Nonsense. It's my job. Besides, I can't very well let my favorite patient die on me now, not after all that's happened. Though, to tell you the truth we don't even know if whatever we did is what set the Beacon off in the first place. So it's no use blaming yourself for something you didn't know about."

Naruto nodded, and Chakwas continued. "How are you feeling?"

Naruto sighed, rubbing his head more. "My head is throbbing, but otherwise I will be just fine. Where's Alenko and Williams?"

Emily smiled. "They're ok. Kaiden is checking on the sensors, and Ashley is taking stock. I recommended her for service aboard the Normandy, Anderson agreed."

Naruto smiled at that. "She deserves it. She is a great Soldier, a brave and courageous one at that." "I couldn't agree more."

They all turned to Anderson as he came in the room, Emily Saluting. Anderson nodded her way and she stood at ease as he turned to Naruto. "You've been out for ten hours. We called the Fleet in to reinforce the surface, but turns out there were hardly any Geth left. There were some sort of machines who looked human coming to life terrorizing the populace, but otherwise nothing too extravagant when we sent in some more firepower."

Naruto looked to Anderson. "They are human beings, turned into those things by the spikes the Geth brought with them."

Anderson hummed at that, looking down in thought. "I see, so the Geth are using some sort of device to manipulate human DNA to something so grotesque... This isn't good. If they hit any more worlds, we'll be fighting our own because of this."

Naruto stood and Chakwas looked to him. "I noticed an increase in your rapid eye movement. It was similar to Akuze, but your brain activity was off the charts. More so than Akuze ever was."

Anderson looked sternly. "What happened down there, Commander. What happened with the Beacon."

Naruto shook his head, looking down. "It's all a little overwhelming, Sir. Alenko got to close, and it started pulling him in. I acted and pulled him out of the way, but then it started pulling me in. it succeeded and dragged me up. It started filling my head with images, like a vision. I was reliving it in my head for whatever duration I was asleep."

Anderson looked to Emily, and she shrugged, totally clueless what he meant. He looked back to Naruto. "What did you see?"

Naruto took a deep breath. "Synthetics. Some kind of fleshy Synthetic life, killing Organic life, which looked similar to them. It felt like a warning, a warning of suffering and death. It's like, whatever it was showing me, was to tell me to look out, something was coming... And all that came was this machine with tentacles, bigger than a skyscraper, helping the Synthetics kill organic life. It was a warning of war, or death... Whatever it was, I am the only one who seen it, and because the Beacon is destroyed no one else will see it. Whatever I seen, it is not going to be any sort of proof."

Anderson hummed at this, then took a deep breath. "Maybe, but we don't know what the Beacon was. It could have been anything, a blueprint to a weapon, some sort of new technology to make our lives better. It's a new type of technology from the Protheans even the Council didn't know about. It could have been some sort of communications network for the Protheans, and the Vision is their warning."

Emily looked to Anderson. "What are we going to tell them? He had a bad dream? All we have is Naruto's word, and Humans are still too new for them to trust our word on anything. The Geth are all over Eden prime, and we have evidence they were planning to blow the Beacon up anyway, but we have no proof of anything else besides Saren being the one leading the Geth here."

Naruto nodded. "I assume you were briefed on the mission up to the Beacon, Sir?"

Anderson nodded. "I was. Good job saving Jenkins here, and good work securing the Beacon, even if it did get destroyed in the end. Though... I doubt it will be as easy proving Saren is behind this attack. I just hope two witnesses will be enough."

That confused Naruto. What made it so hard to prove a Turian named Saren was behind the attack. Emily knew he was confused on this and told him. "Saren is a Spectre. A living Legend, known for his brutality, and efficiency. He has always done by the Councils orders, he has completed his missions without fail. The Council may take his word over ours, and dismiss the witnesses, but we hope that will not be the case."

Naruto sighed heavily. "By the Goddess, this mission turned to shit REAL quick. No matter what, we still managed to save the colony."

Anderson nodded. "And I will stand by your reports. Regardless of what happens, you two are heroes in my book. If Saren is indeed the one behind this, then we still have one thing to show his motives for attacking a Human colony. He hates our kind, I bet it's because of the First Contact war. Maybe he is just an extremist since the first shots were fired, maybe he lost family, that's always a reason to hate someone. Either way, he hates us for it."

Naruto looked sternly at nothing. "Hating an entire species for a misunderstanding is just wrong, regardless of who it is. But he wasn't there on Eden prime cause he hates us... It had something to do with the Beacon... Maybe... Maybe he saw the vision too?"

Emily hummed in thought about that. The thought did cross her mind. Was the Beacon SUPPOSED to do what it did to Naruto? And if it burned a vision into his mind, maybe it did for Saren too. But why blow the Beacon up? Did he want to cover his tracks?

Anderson nodded at Naruto's suggestion. "I agree, but we have no way to know for certain here. Whatever the case may be, he wanted to cover his tracks. Even if we stopped his bombs, the Beacon exploded just the same, so we have limited pull here." he checked his watch. "It'll be an hour till we get to the Citadel. Get some rest. When we get to the Citadel, suit up and be ready. You two and the two with you when the Beacon exploded will be coming to the meeting in case they need any further comments from the ground team. Oh, and Naruto. Thought you should know. Powell, the dock worker, is in alliance custody for war profiteering and smuggling. He was smuggling military grade weapons and orders to the highest bidder."

Naruto nodded at that. "Thank you sir. Glad to see justice was served." Anderson nodded and left the medical bay.

Emily sighed and looked to Naruto. "This is not going to be easy, you know that right? Politics has always been too unreliable when it comes to our kind in the galaxy."

Naruto shrugged and smiled a little. "Wouldn't be interesting if it were easy, would it? Besides, it's not like we have something to hide."

Emily nodded at that and leaned against the wall. "Nihlus was our tester for being Spectres, and now he is dead. Seems we are going to be told off by the Council that we are not going to become Spectres. Whatever happens now, they will never let Humans have this chance again."

Naruto shook his head. "Not that easy. We are a persistent bunch. Even if we have to wait for a few decades, we will try again. Maybe when they give us a tester who can survive a friends betrayal."

Emily giggled at that and stood up. "Maybe, but if not then at least we survived and saved the colony. That's the best we could do." She started out of the Med bay. "When you get the chance, talk to Alenko and Ashley. They will want to know you are ok."

Naruto nodded and when the door closed he looked to Jenkins, who smiled at him. "You alright Jenkins? You've been quiet."

Jenkins chuckled softly. "Just resting up. I am still pretty badly hurt here. Sir, just want to say, before my meds kick in and I pass out, that I am grateful. If you hadn't pulled me out of the way, I would have died then and there... Thank you, Sir"

Naruto smiled and stood, Saluting Jenkins. "I don't leave my squad behind." With that, Jenkins fell asleep, and Naruto sighed. "Always the kind soul with the restless spirit. Hope he doesn't charge into any more ambushes."

After a few minutes, Naruto walked out of the Med bay, and seen Alenko eating some provisions. He didn't see Ashley around though. He came up to Alenko, who seen him and stood up, saluting. Naruto put a hand up. "At ease. How you feeling? L2 implants flaring up still?"

Kaiden shook his head, sitting back down. "Not anymore. I took a five hour nap and had some pain meds from Dr. Chakwas. Thanks for the concern, but what about you? You used a ton of power back there, you don't feel any strain?"

Naruto smiled nervously. "Not really. I don't have implants... Guess it's not common knowledge, it's not in my file either, but I am a Natural Biotic. First Natural Human Biotic in history, so I don't get any strain from my use of mass effect field manipulations."

Kaiden looked surprised. "A___Natural _Human Biotic? That's unbelievable, we've still only just got Biotics, and it's been less than 40 years since Biotics were first found out, how can we get a Natural Biotic so soon?"

Naruto shrugged at that. "I have no idea, but I am. I was even sent to Thessia to be screened for it. Believe it or not, when my being a Natural Biotic came out to the Council, the Asari were curious, the Salarians were intrigued, and the Turians were furious. The Turians thought we were lying, so they wanted to test us, but the Asari and Salarians wanted to find out without kicking me around. I was taught by a Matriarch, and shown them I was a true Natural Biotic. So, I was given a few years of training after I came back to Earth to finish school and was enlisted." Naruto's eyes briefly show a tender warmth remembering the kind Matriarch.

Kaiden was shocked by this news. Naruto smiled sadly. "If you think me lying, or hate that I am so unique, then I understand. It's always hard for others to know, so it's usually not told. It's no secret, but it's not needed to be spread around."

Kaiden stood and put his hand out. "I wouldn't think any less of you for it, Commander, you are who you are regardless of what you can do. You are a brilliant soldier, and a good person. You took out the largest Batarian slaver camp they ever had, on your own no less. You're a hero, sir."

Naruto smiled and shook Kaiden's hand. "Thank you, LT. You're a great soldier yourself. Experience is always a good thing to have during missions."

Kaiden nodded and shifted a bit on his feet. "If you don't mind me asking, Commander Uzumaki, why are your Biotics red? Everyone, Asari, Krogan, even Turians, how rare their Biotics are, are all Blue in color. How come yours are different in color?"

Naruto chuckled lowly, smiling a bit. "Truthfully? I have no idea. They just are. I've had Red Biotics since I could first toss my Biotics around. It's just something about me that makes me unique. Maybe I am different, maybe I am just the next step in the evolutionary chain. Who knows. We humans are diverse, to ourselves and to other species, so it's not very hard to believe at some point differences would occur."

Kaiden hummed at that, but nodded, sitting back down. "Thanks for the talk Commander. Let's talk again soon, it's an honor being under your command."

Naruto nodded and smiled. "Anytime, Kaiden. Know where Gunnery Chief Williams is?"

Kaiden nodded as he took a bite of his lunch. "She's in the cargo hold, checking our rifles and stocking our lockers for prep in our next drop. She's our weapons specialist now."

Naruto thanked him and went to the Elevator. As he descended he sighed. "May the Goddess find a way for justice to prevail... Sorry, Nihlus, wish I could have saved you from that Saren guy."

As the elevator stopped and opened he seen a casket. It held Nihlus, and he gave a small prayer for him to find peace in the afterlife. He seen Williams taking stock, taking apart a Rifle. Recent additions to the Alliance Navy were better informed on gun maintenance than what they used to be like, seeing as they were trained on the new Mass Effect systems for their weapons, not like before Mars where they had just metal and pins. These were way more complicated, but just as simple to understand.

He came up to Ashley and she seen him, instantly stopping her work and saluting. "Commander Uzumaki, sorry. Didn't see you come down."

Naruto smiled. "At ease, Williams. I see you wasted no time getting to work."

Ashley nodded and started pulling the intricate parts out of the scope guard. "Well, Rifles don't maintain themselves yet, so someone has to make sure they are in working order. Besides, after you all saved me on Eden prime and recommended me for crewmen-ship aboard the most advanced ship in the galaxy, I can't very well slack off. I didn't become a soldier to see the sights, mind you. It's in my blood to be the best rifleman I can be."

Naruto nodded and took one of the newly maintained rifles, his own sniper, checking it over. "And I say you done a very good job at it. You survived against those odds, and helped push back, not to mention this rifle is twice as capable... How you managed to improve the heat distribution is beyond me, but now I can fire six shots before it overheats."

Ashley smiled at him, setting the parts of the current gun down. "It's actually pretty simple. It's overlooked by the manufacturer, but the Avenger has the capability to handle more heat. The problem is, it shaves off too much from the ammo chamber and causes the gun to use more friction for the same effect as it would the Hammer. Just shift the laser a smidgen and it can fire normally."

Naruto nodded and collapsed the rifle, putting it down on the table. "Thanks. Just wanted to make sure you were doing well and settling in before we hit the Citadel. Keep up the good work, Chief."

Ashley nodded back and went back to work. Naruto went to the Elevator, which was sent up when he talked to Ashley, and was coming back down. As it opened, Emily stood there, and smiled as Naruto got in. "How did the talk go?"

Naruto sent the Elevator up and leaned against the wall. "It went well. She fixed my sniper to fire six rounds without sacrificing it's power. She's a good soldier, and good weapons specialist."

Emily nodded and took a deep breath. "I talked with them when you were out. Kaiden thinks the Beacon overloaded on you. That got me thinking when you told me about the Vision you had. If it overloaded because it was giving you the Vision, then it must have had some kind of strain."

Naruto looked to her and then remembered Manuel. He gasped. "It was used twice before me, probably... probably in the same day. Warren told us Manuel started acting strangely when the attack started, and it started near the morning when they moved it. Maybe he got hit by it and saw the vision. Then Saren used it before setting the charges. It makes sense to have it overload."

Emily nodded. "I figured that too. No evidence, mind you, but it's a connection." She sighed heavily. "The Council is going to tear us a new one."

Naruto shrugged a bit. "Maybe, but even if they do we know the truth. The Beacon put some kind of vision into my mind, and that information was enough for the Geth to attack us, and the bombs are clearly there to destroy it, like covering their tracks not trying to destroy the colony and take the beacon for themselves, no ship was nearby enough to get them."

Emily smiled at that, but shook her head, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "This whole mission was a disaster. If it wasn't for our dumb luck everyone would have died."

Naruto chuckled at that. "We handle Suicide missions like their cakewalks when we are side by side. It's been like that for a good while. Besides, no one else could have had the experience or power to help that colony themselves."

When Emily looked to him she smiled a bit, but they both frowned, looking sternly at each other. The Elevator was opened, and they both said the same thing to each other at the same time before walking out. "This mission is not over yet."

Naruto and Emily walked up to the bridge, and Naruto took a deep breath. "Eden prime was only the beginning, wasn't it? You have the same feeling too right?"

Emily nodded and they came onto the bridge, where they stopped and leaned against the CIC. "I did. I feel like there is more to this than what we uncovered on Eden prime, it feels like there's a much bigger mystery here than a simple Beacon and the Geth invading. They stayed behind the Veil for two centuries, and suddenly they come in force? Into Alliance controlled space in the Traverse? Why would they leave the Terminus and risk flying into Alliance controlled space to start an invasion now? Over a Beacon they wanted destroyed? Why? What was so important it needed to be removed from Citadel study."

Naruto nodded, looking her way. "Whatever happens now, we better stay sharp. If we don't solve this mystery and reveal the truth to the entire Galaxy, we might as well be dead. Not even I can take on a Geth Platoon without help from a firing squad."

They both knew it was going to be a much bigger mission when they reach the Citadel. Both knew that whoever Saren was, he was going to keep attacking with his Geth army until he got what he wanted, which could be anything from galactic dominance, to the destruction of any or all races in space. They also knew they couldn't take this lying down, they needed to try to stop the Geth from causing an interstellar war. Even if they believed AI and Synthetic life deserved the chance to prove they were good at heart, they couldn't let that stop them from seeing the Geth were, as of right now, invading Alliance and Council space.

It was half an hour before Joker called their nearing of the Citadel, and Emily was already suiting up. Naruto was with Anderson, who looked at the Report one final time. "This is everything? All evidence, sources, and what you think they need to know?"

Naruto was at attention and nodded. "This is everything me and Commander Shepard could think of, every connection and every scrap of evidence we can think of that has a hard source to it. We aren't suggesting the report is totally valid, but we have enough context to show we didn't do anything wrong."

Anderson closed the OSD, putting it in his pocket before turning to Naruto. "Fine work, Uzumaki. Hackett always spoke highly of you. Greatest Sniper in the Alliance, Biotics that rival Asari, and the capability of conquering a battlefield with on the fly strategic orders. You're an impressive soldier, and a great commander. You did everything right on Eden prime, no matter what others think."

Naruto saluted Anderson. "Thank you, Sir."

Anderson nodded at him. "Now get ready, we land soon and it'll do to keep a pistol on hand."

Naruto nodded and went to his locker, suiting up. Emily had her Pistol at her hip and sighed. "I feel naked every single time I land in the Citadel."

Naruto turned to her as he was bent down tightening his boots. "Why is that? And you go there often?"

Emily nodded as she turned and leaned against her locker. "Not as often as you might think, but enough to say I know what to expect. The Wards are chaotic, and the Presidium is tranquil. Either way, it'll tear you a new one. Mercs in the Wards will tear you a new mouth to breath out of, and the Presidium will rip your wallet to shreds if you aren't careful."

Naruto put his SMG on his back where a Shotgun usually goes. "I see. Guess you have places to go when we get there huh?"

Emily smirked and looked to him. "So do you. Ino and Sakura are there, both doing quite well. Ino is with the Consort on the Presidium, helping people with their mental instability. She has a master's degree in psychological healing. Sakura, on the other hand, is in a club as a waitress. In the Wards there's a club called Flux, she's highly respected and much loved with the patrons."

Naruto smiled a bit. He had not seen his two favorite sisters next to Emily since he was twelve, and he did miss them. "Guess I should pay them a visit then. After we go see the Ambassador though, have to get ready for the Council before we have any free time."

They went to the cockpit and Emily looked to Naruto. "Go see Ino first, maybe she can help sort out your Vision. The Beacon could have put undue stress on your mind after it gave you the Vision, we can't have you breaking down and throwing debris with your Biotics."

Naruto chuckled nervously. "Hey, give me a break. I had to fight off a Krogan Battlemaster who managed to give me a HUGE headache, via a few head-butts."

Emily looked to him sternly. "Which you refused to get medical treatment for. How you even managed to stay conscious is beyond me." With that they stayed on the Bridge until called to land on the Citadel. What awaited them in the station was more than just the Council meeting and reuniting with their old friends... Naruto and Emily were about to find out the hard way, when you are against Saren, Saren doesn't hold back.

******XxX xx XxX xx XxX**

**Godo:** And there you have it, the second chapter hittin' ya like a hurricane! Gotta tell ya, it was HAVOC trying to finish this up... I couldn't end on the Normandy without the Citadel being ready to start next chapter, so I did what I could at the end with getting more talk time with Ashley and Kaiden. I did most of this chapter, but it was mainly due to Archy here having a bit of trouble with his internet and computer. Right buddy?

**Arch-Daishou:** Sorry for the trouble everyone. I still at least have my word perfect 10 still. So I am far from being stopped. I will be on this as hard as I can.

**__****Allons-y! GERONIMO!**


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